Don't let the sun go down on your wrath

Question: What does “let not the sun go down upon your wrath” mean?

The most common explanation of this phrase is “don’t go to bed angry” (also, “don’t sleep on anger,” “suppress it speedily,” “put a strict time limit on it,” or “it should not be prolonged beyond the sunset”).  This is further morphed into the idea that conflicts must be resolved before bedtime. What is that the correct or best understanding?

In a series of moral exhortations about putting off the old man and putting on the new man, Paul stated, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26).” A close inspection suggests that Paul alludes to Psalm 4:4 from the Greek Old Testament, which reads (as translated into English),[i] “Be ye angry, and sin not; feel compunction upon your beds for what ye say in your hearts. Pause.”[ii]

Comparing some of the texts (for those to wish to do so)

Psalm 4:4 Greek Septuagint - καὶ γνῶτε ὅτι ἐθαυμάστωσε Κύριος τὸν ὅσιον αὐτοῦ· Κύριος εἰσακούσεταί μου ἐν τῷ κεκραγέναι με πρὸς αὐτόν.

Psalm 4: 4 Brenton Septuagint Translation - Be ye angry, and sin not; feel compunction upon your beds for what ye say in your hearts. Pause.

Psalm 4:4 Wycliffe Bible - Be ye wroth, and do not ye sin; and for those evils to which ye say in your hearts and in your beds, be ye compunct.

Psalm 4:4 1599 Geneva Bible - Tremble and sin not: examine your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psalm 4:4 King James Version - Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psalm 4:4 New International Version - Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

Ephesians 4:26 1550 Stephanus New Testament - οργιζεσθε και μη αμαρτανετε ο ηλιος μη επιδυετω επι τω παροργισμω υμων

Ephesians 4:26 Wycliffe Bible - Be ye wroth, and do not do sin; the sun fall not down on your wrath.

Ephesians 4:26 1599 Geneva Bible - Be angry, but sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath,

Ephesians 4:26 King James Version - Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Ephesians 4:26 New International Version - “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

Since Paul’s exhortation alludes to Psalm 4, it should be considered in deciding the full meaning Ephesians 4:26. Because the Lord has set apart him that is godly, David knew the Lord would hear his call (verses 1, 3). Due to that knowledge David resolves to stand in awe of God, tremble before him and not sin in his anger at the lying vanity surrounding him (v. 3). In doing so we should stand in awe before God and look within ourselves – talk to ourselves. Though we may joke about people being crazy if they talk to themselves, the fact is we often need to have a dialogue with our soul (Cf. Joseph Hart’s A Dialogue between a Believer and His Soul for a poetic example of the concept).

All anger is not bad or wrong. Righteous indignation is a true concept. Jesus speaks of being angry “without a cause” – indicating we can be angry with cause (Matthew 5:22). If we commune with our own hearts on our beds we will likely most often find our anger is a human reaction that is sinful, without a cause. Let’s not be guilty of excusing ungodly reactions as righteous indignation.

If we have been angry, the close of the day must bring reflection upon it. Says Charles Spurgeon in The Treasury of David, Psalm 4, “Stay, rash sinner, stay, ere thou take the last leap. Go to thy bed and think upon thy ways. Ask counsel of thy pillow, and let the quietude of night instruct thee!” John Calvin rightly notices “…in solitude, we can give to any subject a closer attention…”[iii]

The apostle is not putting the onus on us to resolve every personal conflict before the sun goes down, or before we go to bed. That may not be possible (e.g., the other person may not want to resolve the conflict). But the going down of the sun and the laying down of our heads is a perfect time for reflection, for prayer, and, if need be, repentance.

The text teaches the limitation of anger, even when it is proper. Sundown was the time when one Jewish day ended and a new day began. End your day well! Start your day out right! The big picture of Ephesians 4:26b is: Resolve your anger. Don’t nurse it. Even if it is legitimate anger, don’t let it fester and grow into sin.

Don’t get angry and sin…but when you do sin, reflect and repent.

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[i] English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Old Testament, by Sir Lancelot C. L. Brenton, 1851; Greek: καὶ γνῶτε ὅτι ἐθαυμάστωσε Κύριος τὸν ὅσιον αὐτοῦ· Κύριος εἰσακούσεταί μου ἐν τῷ κεκραγέναι με πρὸς αὐτόν.

[ii] Psalm 4:4 (KJV): “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.”

[iii] From Calvin’s Commentaries, translated by John King

Righteous indignation

So-called experts vary in their categorizations of anger types, their concepts and their number. Some forms of anger are normal and healthy. Even though unpleasant to deal with, it may lead to the quick resolution of a problem. Other forms of anger pose a serious problem. “Road rage” is a type of volatile explosive anger than can be intense and destructive. Chronic anger is habitual anger that people hold on to and nurture over a long period of time. This could be those who “seem like they are mad all the time.” Most people seem to have a general negative attitude toward the concept of anger -- probably because so much anger is selfish, uncontrolled and hurtful. But all anger is not bad or wrong. The Bible says, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26).”

Jesus’s anger recorded in John 2:13-25 is instructive in the proper kind of and proper use of anger.

13 And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. 17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. 18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

Jesus’s anger was purposed (directed) and restrained (controlled). Many things about the way the Pharisees, Sadducees and others treated him personally could have caught his attention and engendered much anger. Rather, he directed his anger toward the abuse of the temple worship.

Jesus’s anger was premeditated (planned, planned beforehand) and judicious (displaying good judgment). Jesus took the time to make a scourge (a type of whip). The making of scourge -- both the intent, time and effort to do so -- displays not only purpose but also premeditation. He did not act rashly or explode in anger. He took his time. He made a specific tool and directed it to a specific purpose.

Jesus’s anger was righteous (without sin) and productive (got results beyond just the feeling). His action was directed against a known and overlooked moral wrong regarding the temple services.  It produced results beyond any supposed “feeling better” associated with an outburst of anger. The temple was cleansed of its abuse. Much anger has no designed purpose at all, has no moral foundation -- and after the fact the person who acted in anger does not even “feel better.”

Intriguingly, the Jews did not question the act of Jesus driving out the money-changers and overturning the tables. They only questioned whether Jesus had the authority to act (in other words, this is a question of the person of Christ). This indicates they knew the wrong and that someone had the authority to act in this manner.

Jesus was angry and did not sin. He directed his anger for a precise purpose, accomplished the purpose, explained his actions and went on with the things he came to do.

Right thinking on emotions

There is a crying need for some common sense answers about emotionalism. Some Baptists write about emotionalism from a radical reaction to the opposite extremes. Their statements are not correctly tempered with truth.

First, let's consider what emotionalism is and is not. Shouting, loud amens, crying, and rejoicing, etc. are not emotionalism. Baptists have been shouting nearly 2000 years. In fact, Baptists are just about the only ones that have anything to shout about. :-)

Emotionalism is the undue indulgence in and display of emotion. It is evidenced in those who deliberately try to incite an emotional response, and see that response as an end in itself. Emotionalism revels in the outward expression while downplaying the inward response. Emotionalism seems to regard the development of an aroused state of feeling (joy, sorrow, etc.) as the chief aspect of worship.

Shouldn’t we oppose emotionalism as a religious schism without opposing all emotional responses? Certainly. Showing emotion is not wrong. We are emotional beings. We laugh & cry, shout & scream. If humans are emotional beings, and if our religion should generate in us a response (it should), then would it be unusual to think our worship should sometimes be expressed in emotional responses? Of course not!

Each person is different. Each has a different emotional makeup. Some laugh easier than others. Some cry quicker. Some shout louder. Some sit quieter. Since each individual differs emotionally, we cannot expect the same emotional responses from all. No doubt you have seen two people respond differently to the same event — one by crying, the other by laughing. Often we tend to judge how others should respond by how we would respond in the same situation. There is no "one response fits all".

Those who decry all emotion are very inconsistent. Some think it alright to be emotional about things other than religion. When we are angered by politics, shout at ball games, cry over the death of a pet, and laugh at stupid jokes, why are we unable to respond emotionally to our God and in our relationship to Him? I am suspicious of the Christian who can get all worked up over a ball game, but is indifferent to a Bible message, a gospel song, or a conversion testimony.

There are specific outward emotional expressions that are often attacked. We must be careful here. Just because something is abused does not mean it should be abandoned. We have heard unscriptural sermons, but should we stop hearing all sermons because of that? Many unscriptural baptisms have been performed; should Baptists stop baptizing? Many unsound songs have been sung; should we stop singing? The acceptance of radical anti-emotionalism drives us to abandon something simply because it has been misused.

Notice two emotional actions I will defend. I do not personally indulge in or particularly care for either one — clapping and raising hands. But these have been unfairly attacked by the radical anti-emotionalists. Clapping is certainly inappropriate at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons, yet the Psalmist says, ‘O claps your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice or triumph.’ (Psalm 47:1). Who can argue with that? Can I honestly condemn one who claps to the time of a song, when I tap my foot or rap my hand on the back of the bench for the same reason? As for raising hands, it seems like an unusual response to which I have never felt compelled — but the Apostle Paul admonishes, ‘I will therefore that men prey everywhere, lifting up holy hands...’ (I Tim. 2:8).

In the scriptures, we see that even Jesus responded emotionally. He was moved with compassion (Matt. 14:14; Mark 1:41), was angered (Mark 3:5; Matt. 21:12), cried (Luke 19:41; John 11:35), etc. Solomon indicates that emotion has its proper place (Eccl. 3:4). Let's not 'kick out of the traces' and allow personal feelings and opinions override scriptural sense.

On the other hand, we must realize that many churches indulge in emotionalism in an unscriptural manner, leading to extremism. A problem with any type of external action or reaction is that it can be duplicated. If we judge only the external, we will be led astray. Anyone can shout, sing, cry, lift up hands, clap, etc., but what good is that if the heart is not right? If outward emotional responses are not of themselves wrong, then the right or wrong is determined by the inner motive of the heart. Was that shout real or worked up? Did you mean that ‘amen’ or just say it for show or because someone else did? Do you truly sorrow or is that crying for attention? Real emotional responses due to the unseen work of God should be neither shunned nor condemned. All put on and show must be completely condemned and absolutely avoided.

Often the chief excuses against emotional responses may come from a desire to not appear "charismatic" or "pentecostal". We should not let others drive us from our shouting ground. Baptists should stand stand firm and say, "I shall not be moved" from the truth, but I will move when the Spirit moves.

Adapted from the original printing in The Baptist Waymark