Finding Comfort In The Anger Of God

Introduction: An Uncomfortable Truth

Good evening, church.

We come to a single verse of Scripture that contains a truth many of us find uncomfortable. We are at home with the idea of a God who is loving, merciful, patient, and kind. We sing songs about His amazing grace. But what do we do with the second half of this verse? "God is angry with the wicked every day."

The idea of God's anger can be unsettling. We often imagine it through the distorted lens of our own human anger, which is so often petty, selfish, impatient, and out of control. And because our anger is flawed, we project that flaw onto God and create an image of Him that we would rather avoid.

But what if we have misunderstood? What if the anger of God is not a flaw in His character, but a necessary expression of His goodness? Today, my goal is for us to understand this verse correctly and to discover a surprising truth: the reality of God as a righteous Judge—who lovingly cares for His people and is righteously angry with evil—is one of the most profound sources of comfort and hope available to the believer.

I. God's Commitment to the Righteous (v. 11a)

The verse begins not with anger, but with an assurance for the people of God.

"God judgeth the righteous..."

For a believer, this is a statement of profound comfort. The word "judgeth" here does not primarily mean to condemn; it means to govern, to rule over, and most importantly in this context, to vindicate.

The author of this Psalm, David, was crying out to God because he was being slandered, lied about, and falsely accused. He felt helpless before the court of public opinion. And in his distress, he remembered this truth: there is a higher court. There is a perfect and righteous Judge who knows the truth.

For the righteous, this means God is our Vindicator. He is the one who hears our case when the world misjudges us. He is the one who will ultimately defend our cause and set the record straight. To be judged by the righteous God is the safest place for a righteous person to be. It is a promise that no lie, no slander, and no injustice against us will have the final word.

II. God's Opposition to the Wicked (v. 11b)

Now we turn to the difficult and necessary truth that balances the first.

"...and God is angry with the wicked every day."

1. It is a Holy Anger, Not a Human Temper. We must immediately separate this from our own sinful anger. God's anger is His settled, constant, and holy indignation against all that is evil, all that is unjust, and all that defies His perfect character. It is the necessary reaction of perfect holiness in the presence of sin.

2. His Anger is Proof of His Goodness. Think of it this way: If you witnessed a helpless child being brutally beaten and you felt nothing—no anger, no indignation—what would that say about your character? Your anger in that moment would not be a flaw; it would be the evidence of your goodness and love. In the same way, a God who was not angry at corruption, at oppression, at violence, at child abuse, at wickedness—a God who was indifferent to evil—would not be a good God. He would be a moral monster. The fact that God is angry with the wicked is the proof that He is passionately and eternally in love with righteousness, justice, and holiness.

3. His Anger is Constant: "every day." This is not a mood swing. God’s character is unchanging. He does not take a day off from being holy. He does not sometimes tolerate evil. His opposition to sin is as constant as the rising of the sun.

III. The Comfort of the Righteous Judge

How can these two truths—God’s vindication of the righteous and His anger toward the wicked—become a source of deep comfort for us?

1. It means our suffering is seen. In a city where we see injustice, corruption, and the suffering of the innocent every day, it is easy to feel that God is distant or doesn't care. This verse is a powerful promise that He is not indifferent. God sees it all, and He is angry about the very things that break our hearts. He is not a passive observer; He is a righteous Judge.

2. It means justice will be done. We live in a world where the wicked often seem to prosper and justice is rarely served. This verse guarantees a final and perfect judgment. God will set all things right. This truth frees us from the soul-destroying burden of bitterness and the desire for personal revenge. We can entrust our cause to Him, knowing that He will handle it with perfect justice.