Dec 1995 - Notes On Psalm 4 - Bible Studies

by John Miller | Category: Voices From The Past | Dec 1995

But David would have men to know 'that the LORD bath set apart him that is godly for Himself. The godly, pious and holy man is in a special sense God's own, and him He sets apart for Himself. Such a man will be the special attack of the evil one and of the worldly-minded man, as Paul says, 'All that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution' (2 Tim. 3:12). It cannot be otherwise living in a world such as this is. Think of David in his trials and sufferings as a specimen of a godly man, and of Paul in the New Testament. Godliness is not a mere human niceness. It is vigorous and has the qualities of a spiritual athlete. Paul wrote to Timothy to exercise (Gumnasia, the word from which gymnasium is derived, a place for athletic exercises) himself unto godliness (1 Tim. 4:7,8). Godliness has the 'promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come', and 'godliness with contentment is great gain' (1 Tim. 6:6).

The words 'Stand in awe, and sin not' are rendered, 'Be ye angry, and sin not' in Ephesians 4:26. The word 'awe' is from the Hebrew word Ragaz, which means to be moved, to tremble or quiver, and one may be moved by anger, grief and fear. It is evident that the Revisers who put 'Be ye angry' in the R.V. margin were not certain of the source of this trembling, whether from a sense of awe or anger. The LXX translators of the Old Testament concluded that it was from anger, and Paul uses the same words in Ephesians 4:26 as are given in the LXX. There is ever the danger of anger issuing in sin. Anger is not necessarily a sinful thing, for both God and the Lord are said to have been angry, but the danger with men is that when they are angry they may give place to the Devil and sin is the consequence, so that we are exhorted to put away anger, wrath, malice, railing, and so forth (Col. 3:8).

A remedy for anger is found in communing with your own heart in bed, and being still. If this course is followed passions will cool down and a reasonable frame of mind will result. Paul's remedy is, 'Let not the sun go down upon your provocation'. Anger should not be nursed until it has grown into a giant.

John Miller | Dec 1995
Voices From The Past