Anger

Can I Be Righteously Angry and Not Sin? Psalm 52

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

David penned Psalm 52 when he likely felt consumed by grief and outrage. King Saul heard that David had sought prayer and counsel from a priest named Ahimelech. When King Saul learned the news, he ordered the massacre of Ahimelech and all the priests that served with him.

David wrote this psalm directed to Doeg, the Edomite who led the massacre. He had every reason to be angry, but David chose to bring his anger before the Lord rather than executing his version of vengeance.

Vengeance

What do we do when vengeance seems perfectly reasonable? How do we process righteous anger?

1 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
(Psalm 52:1-5 ESV)

Experiencing wrongdoing is inevitable. Whether through outright deception, neglect, broken promises, or betrayal, it takes a toll on our hearts and minds. How should we respond? David vents his anger against Doeg but reminds himself of God’s steadfast love and confronts Doeg’s deception before leaving any reckoning to God. When faced with wrongdoing, do you turn to friends or God and surrender the desire for revenge?

6 The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches
    and sought refuge in his own destruction!” 
(Psalm 52:6-7 ESV)

True freedom can be found knowing that God’s just punishment will be displayed for all the righteous. All the wrongs will be brought out into the light. Even those with wealth and status are no match for God’s justice. No wrongdoer will escape.

8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God
    forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.
(Psalm 52:8-9 ESV)

Vitality

Unlike those who seek evil, David compares himself to a green olive tree in the house of God. David chooses to trust in the steadfast love of God forever. He chooses an eternal perspective knowing that God is not limited or bound by time. He decides to sink his roots into God’s soil and remain close to God’s house because these things are vital to growing our faith. He doesn’t want his anger to stagnate his relationship with the Lord. He wants his faith to flourish and produce fruit.

Victory

Once again, as is His habit, David praises and celebrates God before the victory has been realized. He declares God’s righteousness and ability to bring complete justice. He promises to wait, watch, and draw close to God in the waiting time. He stands in complete faith.

How about you?

How will you respond to anger taking up residence in your own heart and mind? It is not a matter of “if” you will ever get angry, but when. Our broken world is packed to the brim with examples of wrongdoing. Perhaps our anger might be even more intense when someone hurts or betrays those we love. Perhaps anger and outrage have become so expected in our society that we no longer believe we need God’s help to tend our souls.

Take time today to process any anger you may have picked up recently. Don’t allow it to fester or slow your growth in the Lord.  Surrender it all just like David did.

Prayer

Lord, I seek your refuge today and know there is a safe space to vent my anger. I can be honest with you and entrust you to bring about what is needed. Help me to grow in my wisdom and love of God. Please use Holy Spirit to cleanse me from all brokenness. Thank you that I can celebrate the victory only You can bring. Thank you that You can and will make all things right.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

How Can I Avoid Anger’s Trap? Psalm 5:7-12

/ Anthea Kotlan / 1 Comment

What is a trap? Something that collects and keeps something else that eventually may or may not be released.

I believe that anger a problem because it could lead to some damaging words or actions. However, it is also a problem if it is stuffed down deep into our souls. I believe there it can cause deep and lasting damage. Eventually, the anger may surprise us with how heavy it has become. Much like a stone that is weighing us down.

There is nothing like sitting on hard plastic chairs for hours waiting for my turn in a line moving like molasses to bring out the very best in me. Recently I spent most of a Monday assisting my eighty-year-old mother with renewing her driver’s license at a local office of the Department of Public Safety. I had made an “online appointment” three months earlier but arrived and found two very long lines snaking out into the parking lot. We waited in these lines for about twenty minutes and discovered we were missing a document. We got back in the car and drove home to find it and just over an hour later, we returned to begin the process again. This time, after the thirty-minute wait outside, we gained access to the building and found our way to those hard plastic chairs. We waited there for two more hours. As we sat together, I began to notice more and more people were processed through and all the while my mother’s name was not called. Finally, frustration was boiling over in my heart and mind. My inner advocate propelled me up from my seat to ask, as politely as I could, how much longer we might have to wait. The receptionist went to go check and I found out that my mother’s name had never been re-entered into the queue. We were then assured that we would be the very next customer.

Honestly, when I realized an error had been made, harsh words almost spilled from my mouth. An hour earlier my mother had tried to advocate for herself with this receptionist, and she had been dismissed. I swallowed my frustration hard as I sat back down to wait about twenty more hard-plastic-chair minutes, which I believe should count twice. When I finally arrived back home, about eight hours after I had initially left my house, I did not process all that anger and aggravation. Those strong feelings turned into hard rocks that weighed me down for weeks. Good soul care requires that I be proactive and find healthy ways to process anger, fear, shame, and guilt. While the employees of the DPS are not my enemies, my disappointment with mistakes made can operate like strategic plots by an enemy power that seeks to keep me away from my Father’s business. What happened was a minor inconvenience, but I know it caused a great deal of stress for my mother. She now dreads ever having to return there.

Last week on the blog I wrote about the first half of Psalm 5. Click on this link to see the post. https://antheakotlan.com/2021/06/16/how-can-i-be-angry-and-sin-not/

This week I am going to look at verses 7-12 to see how I could have handled my anger better.
In the second half of Psalm 5 (verses 7-12), David continues to pour out his angry heart to God. He reminds himself of God’s character and asks God for what he needs.

7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house.I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.

Psalm 5:7-8 ESV

Keep me in fellowship with you in your house. I thank you that I can approach you this day because of what you have done for me in abundance. I praise you this day for your mercy. Your love is my compass and provision. Please, don’t let my enemies, mistakes others make, or the unfairness of everyday life distract me from living out the life you have for me. Keep me on track with you and in step with you. I entrust you with all my disappointments and trust you to make these situations work out for my benefit, and for those I love.

9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction, their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.

10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.
My enemies speak fluent deception, and even their compliments tear down. Please settle the score on my behalf and send them away. While they seek their own counsel, help me to always seek your wisdom first. You are my advocate.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.

12 For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5:9-12 ESV

Running into your safe embrace is worthy of celebration. In your presence, I can sing and praise you in peaceful protection. There is always enough room for me in your presence. I choose to give thanks for all you are doing for me and those I love. I will take time today to hide with you.

Last week I talked about my granddaughter throwing a tantrum. One of the most tender moments I have witnessed is when my tall son-in-law bends down to the ground and looks into his tiny daughter’s eyes. He says, “I can see that you have some big feelings right now. Please use your words and tell Daddy what you need.” Psalm 5 is my heavenly father’s message to me to come to him and use my words to let him know what I need. He longs to hear from me and for me to express my anger and hurt with words, cries, and groans. He alone is always a safe place to run.

Lord, thank you. You are my Jehovah Jirah and you have everything I need. You are always ready to hold me in my angry moments and help me process through all my big feelings. Only you can help me avoid the trap of anger that leads to sin. Amen.

How do you process anger in a healthy way?

How Can I Be Angry and Sin Not? Psalm 5:1-6

/ Anthea Kotlan / 1 Comment

Sometimes my two-year-old granddaughter’s entire body displays her displeasure with life and or a directive from me. Her tiny balled-up fists jerk about, her bottom lip protrudes, as a steady stream of “no, no, no,” alerts everyone to her frustration. As a toddler, her vocabulary might be limited, but her feelings are made crystal clear.

Flashpoint anger flares in my heart. Sometimes it catches me by surprise, but other times it is been on a slow simmer for hours or even days. As a child, I was trained in the ways of emotional suppression. Anger was never acceptable, and all unpleasant emotional responses were to be squashed down post-haste.

So how do I “be angry and sin not?” (Ephesians 4:26 ESV) According to the rest of this passage, I’m not even supposed to let the sun go down on my anger. So much for sleeping it off!

I believe that God provided the psalms for soul care. Each one is designed to help process difficult emotional reactions like sadness, fear, anger, and joy. Today I’m looking at Psalm 5.

King David knew a little about anger and frustration. He opens Psalm 5 by begging God to hear him.

1Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. (Psalm 5:1-2 ESV)

David asked God to hear not only his words but also his feelings expressed in groanings and cries. He pours out all of his frustration directly to his loving heavenly father. Processing anger with God is a healthy option for David and for me. God may already know everything, but he longs to hear from me even when it’s negative. I can afford to get real with God. Psalm 5 provides a liturgy for me to use to process my anger with God.


3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. (Psalm 5:3-4 ESV)

Thank you, LORD, that I am truly seen and heard by you. As I wait for you, I lay before you my life and beg for your intervention. Life is hard right now and things seem very unfair. When I spend time with you, God, I can take a break from the evils of this world. In your presence are peace, joy, and light.

5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. (Psalm 5:5-6 ESV)

Lord, thank you that you will level the playing field and it is not up to me to fetch justice for myself or my loved ones. You will handle all those who frustrate me or cause pain. Lord, guard my heart against becoming deceptive especially towards myself. Help me to have an accurate view of myself and others based on your truth. Only you can help me to acknowledge my anger and sin not. Amen.

The first half of Psalm 5 provides so much that is needed to process through anger. Next week, I’ll be looking at the final six verses to see the completion of this process.