Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. (Psalm 4:4)
It is a great blessing to be able to lay one’s head on the pillow at night, go to sleep knowing we are at peace with God and with man. If we can close our eyes at the end of the day with confidence that we have pursued righteousness, and our heart does not convict us, we know that whatever the next day brings, in the end, all will be well. The same can not be said for those who pursue wickedness and are inclined to follow their evil inclinations — if they will be still and quiet long enough, their heart will speak to them and compel them not to sin.
David’s advice, as it is presented here, “Be angry, and do not sin” is better and more literally rendered, “Tremble and do not sin.” In a manner of speaking, David was admonishing his enemies to stop and really think about what they were doing. If they didn’t have the presence of mind and good conscience to respect David as their king, they should at least show proper regard for the King of kings who, by the way, appointed David as king over Israel. In a ’round about way, David was pointing out to them that he was not their enemy — their own heart and evil inclination was their true opponent. Therefore, his advice to them was to think on these things in the dead of night when, hopefully, they can reason clearly.
Hopefully all of us can identify with the benefits of being quiet and listening to God’s still, small voice. Most often, He is not in the thunder or the whirlwind or the myriad of voices that seek our time and attention but in the quiet place when our thoughts are more inclined to filter out the rest of the world. So let us glean two important points to ponder, today — first: what it really means to “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Secondly, having been still long enough to hear His Voice and His Word to our spirit, appreciate the value of trembling at His Word (Isaiah 66:2). If we were to put this into greater practice, perhaps we will be less inclined to give into the other voices, and especially the one within that tries to coerce us to do what is pleasing to our flesh. Think on this tonight when you lay your head on the pillow.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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