“Arise, O Lord, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
over it return on high.”
—Psalm 7:6-7 ESV

God’s anger is a touchy subject because it has often been abused to judge people and control them through guilt and shame.

But we need to know something:

God’s anger is righteous.

It is his reaction to injustice, oppression, and the exploitation of the most vulnerable.

And it is the only reasonable response to evil.

God’s anger is different from the “fury” of David’s enemies, probably referring to King Saul and his army.

Saul’s was a jealous anger fueled by the fear that David would supplant his throne. He wasn’t interested in justice but in preserving his own power.

And so, faced with the anger of people who sought to end his life out of selfish ambition, David submits himself to God and asks him to judge between him and his enemies.

Why? Because God is just.

That brings comfort to some and terror to others.

Here is a short prayer to help you invite God into every moment of your day:

Inhale: Lord,
Exhale: Bring justice.