Is the verse “Be angry and do not sin ” (Ps. 4:4) a permission for us to get angry? Is that applied also to the verse “But rather give place to wrath ” (Rom. 12:19)?
The Bible says “For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20), and also “Anger rests in the bosom of fools” (Eccl. 7:9), and “Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go” (Prov. 22:24).
The verse “Be angry, and do not sin” was explained by the fathers in two ways:
1. The holy anger for the sake of God, as long as it in a spiritual manner with no trespasses, is holy in its purpose and its action also.
2. The anger of the person because of his personal faults and of the sins he committed, will result in him not sining in the future.
The saying of the apostle “Do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath” means to give a chance for the anger to depart from you and not give it a place to settle inside you… do not keep the anger inside you. It might turn to hatred and desire for revenge. Give it a chance to depart from you.
