What To Say To Your Enemies And How To Approach Them - Psalms 3-5

Psalms 4:4-5 (ESV)

Be angry, and do not sin;

ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

Offer right sacrifices,

and put your trust in the LORD.

In Psalm 4, David is crying out to God AND speaking to his adversaries.   He first cries out to God (vs 1) to hear and answer him, but then pivots to the men who are attempting to turn some honor David has, into shame.  After telling them he knows that God knows how to care for those who call to him (vs 3), we have the above lines.   He speaking verses 4 and 5 to these tormentors.    He is telling them to consider several things:

1. Be angry, but do not sin.  The word for angry means to tremble or be agitated.   David is giving counsel to these nonbelievers, who have turned against him.  His advice is, “Go ahead and be frustrated with me (or God), but in that frustration don’t cross the line into sinning against God.”   Paul will use this line in Ephesians 4:6, speaking to believers.   The point David provides us, alerts us to the fact that, in life, we will be frustrated. That is not a sin.   Agitations in this life will come upon us.  The warning (apparently to believers and non-believers, alike) is to stop the agitation from man before it becomes sinning against God. 

2. Ponder in your own hearts on your beds. The word bed here can mean an actual bed, or it can mean a private place of worship. It is the bed chamber where resting can take place, or contemplation.   His point to these enemies of his is to take a breath and ponder your path before you do anything rash.  Take a minute to think through what you are about to say, or do.  

3. Be silent, Selah.   This is great advice.   We often talk when we should be contemplative and think through what we are about to say or do.   He wants them to be still.   Solomon said it this way in Ecclesiastes:

Ecclesiastes 9:17 (ESV)

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

4. ... offer right sacrifices.  David is hoping that after contemplation these enemies will make the decision to do what is right.   He will claim later that he will soon lie down in safety (vs 8), so he believes God will do a great work in their lives as a result of this prayer.  

5.  ... and put your trust in the LORD.  The final appeal from David to his enemies is to trust in His God.   He believes faith will and can replace fight.   He wants them to trust God with this situation and allow God to be their guide, not their agitation.    Perhaps these enemies of his are actual believers in God already and he is reminding them of their duty.  Or, they are non-believers and he is calling them to faith.   Whatever the case, he is approaching this situation with an olive branch to be the peacemaker.   

David takes an entirely different path here.  He does not use his sling or his sword to fight these who have come against them.  He uses his speech about the character of God and faith in Him.   This is wise advice he is giving them.  It is wise advice for us, today.  His approach to this conflict is even more important for us to master.