Handling Anxiety and Anger While Waiting On God: Psalm 39

Choosing Hope and Humility When Life is Hard: Psalm 39 Teaches us to Wait on God When Anxiety and Anger Threaten our Peace!

Have you ever been waiting on the Lord surrounded by people who don’t get it, overwhelmed by what seems to be the hand of the Lord – against you – wondering what the point is? That’s where our passage finds us today… and I can relate to it so well.

“And now Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you:” (Psalm 39:7 NKJV)

Psalm 39 shows us a godly response to anger, anxiety, and uncertainty.

We can see some easy lessons at first glance.

• Waiting on the Lord is compared to hope.
• Our hope is well placed in God.

But to understand this declaration we will need to study the entire chapter.

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Psalm 39: A Verse-by-Verse Study With Application For Waiting on God

If anyone in Scripture understood the idea of waiting on the Lord, it was David. He waited with grace and wisdom for the promise of the Lord to be fulfilled. He did the work of the Lord with integrity and strength, even when it put him in danger. David waited in the Lord better than any other Biblical figure, and I am eager to look into his example today.

As we study Psalm 39, it may be helpful to open to the chapter in its entirety here.

It finds David surrounded by his enemies, facing something overwhelming that seemed to be from the hand of the Lord. How does he respond? He waits on the Lord in hope.

Lets dig into it verse by verse.

Wisdom is Careful With Words While Waiting On God(:1)

“I said, “I will keep watch over my ways
So that I do not sin with my tongue;
I will keep watch over my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence.”” (Psalm 39:1 NASB)

There are situations where it is best to be silent. There are people who twist every word, misunderstand every intention, and seek to catch us out when we speak.

We see in David a distrust of others, knowing some are wicked, who choose not to walk in God’s way.

If you do not trust someone, you need to be careful with what you say around them.

There are also situations where we don’t trust ourselves; people who bring the worst out of us. We know, in those moments, that it’s best to be silent, rather than walk headfirst into sin.

We see in David a wisdom that recognizes that if he speaks, it will more than likely be in sin.

Related Post: How To Fight Anger in Marriage: Love is Not Easily Provoked

Silence Before The Wicked While Waiting on God

This is an area of my life where I get the most pushback from friends. I am silent far more than I talk (shocking as I write so much, you’d think I talk so much… but no).

But if I am honest, I am not like David. Most of the time, I am silent because I am afraid. Afraid no one will care. Afraid no one will listen. Sure, I will say the wrong thing to the wrong people and mess everything up. Years of being put in my place have trained me that my voice is unneeded… unwanted… unhelpful.

That’s something the Lord and I are working on even today.

Silent Even From Speaking Good (:2)

“I was mute and silent,
I refused to say even something good,
And my pain was stirred up.” (Psalm 39:2 NASB)

We see, however, that not all silence is best. We can take silence too far. Here we see that David is stirred up in pain or anger. The need to speak what was right, even or especially in the presence of people he couldn’t trust (or if he couldn’t trust his own heart), was so strong it hurt him to be silent.

Related Post: When Joy and Anxiety War in a Christian Marriage

When You Are Silent and Wrong in Anger and Anxiety

Who else can relate to David here?

There are many times I feel like I need to speak up, that what is happening is wrong, that there is something I am meant to add. But I also know from past experience that this person or those people will not listen. I’ve spoken up before only to be ignored or dismissed or worse- to have my words twisted and thrown back at me.

Other times, I worry that my emotions are too strong in a situation and the words will come out wrong or will make things worse. Can you relate?

Not speaking up, feels wrong sometimes, however. I am in that situation right now as I wait on God… choosing to wait in the Lord rather than for some desired outcome.

Our Thoughts Matter While Waiting(:3)

My heart was hot within me,
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:” (Psalm 39:3 NASB)

Our thoughts feed our feelings and our attitude. The more you think about the thing that you are facing, the more you feel you need to say. The more you remain silent while those thoughts swirl, the more anger rises forcing speech…

Thoughts Can Cause Anxiety While We Wait on God

If you are facing a tense moment in life, where you feel like you have to say something, but you worry they won’t listen or you fear you will misspeak, you may feel overwhelmed with anxiety. I do… often.

When anxiety enters the scene, forward movement tends to stop. We get stuck in our heads. Nothing happens because fear says that anything that happens may be wrong.

What can we do when the thoughts and the situation have us twisted up in our feelings?

Related Resource: Free Bible Study: What Does The Bible Say About Peace of Mind

Prayer Shifts The Anger and Anxiety (:4)

As David faced this dilemma – words feel wrong but words feel necessary – he made a choice. The wisest way to release pent-up words is prayer. Prayer to God first, instead of venting to friends or railing at enemies, is a way to process the emotions.

“Lord, let me know my end,
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how transient I am.” (Psalm 39:4 NASB)

Think of it as letting God be your filter.

You worry you will say it wrong; let the Lord temper your emotions and clarify your thoughts. You worry they will not receive it well; let the Lord hear it first and shift the dialogue. When God filters our words, they come out better in the end.

“Oh, if my swelling heart must speak, Lord, let it speak with thee” ~ Spurgeon

Related Post: 40 Bible Verses to Overcome Anxiety: FREE Reading and Journaling Guide

Prayer Breeds Humility (:5)

David’s prayer, at first glance, feels morbid, but actually, he is seeking humility. He remembers that life is short, he is human and prone to failure, which humbles him – calming his anger at the enemies surrounding him.

“Behold, You have made my days like hand widths,
And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Certainly all mankind standing is a mere breath. Selah” (Psalm 39:5 NASB)

If we stay stuck in our heads, allowing anger, anxious thoughts to swirl, leaving necessary words unsaid, pride and self-righteousness grow.

The best response – to anger or anxiety in the face of all we are facing – is humility. Prayer was David’s way to slow down the spiral and remember God is great and David is God’s

How Are You Handling Anxiety and Anger While Waiting On God? Psalm 39 Can Help! Share on X

Related Post: 4 Simple Ways to Find Hope and Joy While Battling Anxiety

God is Great and You Are God’s Child

Read that again.

I don’t know what you are facing today. Personally, I am in the eye of a storm that has me overwhelmed with anxiety.

• Separated from my husband through no fault of my own.
• Unemployed and responsible for two teenage girls.
• Lonely, brokenhearted and unsure how to move forward in a godly way.
• Insecure because a foundational relationship in my world is shifting.

I get stuck in my head, recounting all the things that went wrong. I stay silent because no amount of words can fix this, and I know from experience that he doesn’t want to hear my words anyway.

But through the storm, God is good. No, God is great! He is in control. This didn’t surprise Him, and He is on our side.

I am God’s child. God is for me. God is with me. He sees. He hears. I can trust the faithfulness of my loving Father.

Those are the pieces I am reminded of today as I see David take His feelings to the Lord. Turn those affirmations toward your situation today. God is great, and you are His.

Remember What Matters (:6)

David quickly shifts from the burning anger to a humility that looks past the pains of this life. This life is a shadow of the next. Does it even matter?

“Certainly every person walks around as a fleeting shadow;
They certainly make an uproar for nothing;
He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.” (Psalm 39:6 NASB)

• We are busy.
  • Are we accomplishing anything of real value?
  • What is valuable in the end?
    • Righteousness.
• Money and possessions do not lead to righteousness.

A Righteous Life Matters

People were mocking David because it seemed the hand of the Lord was against him. How could they see that? A lack of success? A public failure that cost him earthly riches? Relationships that turned away?

People judge our lives based on what they see on the outside. What the Lord looks at is our heart, our character, our righteousness. Focus on what matters, like Jesus said.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:25-33 NIV)

Wait in Hope in The Lord (:7)

So then, what can we do in the face of overwhelming trials? When life is hard and we can’t fix it or change it… when we are surrounded by people who don’t get it or are making it worse… What is our response to the anger and the anxiety?

We wait.

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.” ((Psalm 39:7 NASB)

The Answer is to wait on God. He will give direction about what to do in life and how to live it His way.

The answer is to hope in the Lord. We wait in hope by living expectantly for the Lord’s wisdom and direction!

Wait in Hope: An Example

Refuse to move until He speaks. Refuse to give in to the swelling emotions that long to destroy hope.

Lean into Him until He speaks, until He moves, until He has won the victory in your right now situation!

What might that look like practically?

In our situation, I’ve come to understand that the Lord won’t force my husband to fix all the things. It will take both of us working to reconcile our family, but he is unwilling or unable in this season.

So I am waiting in hope for the Lord to fight for us, for the Lord to provide for us, for the Lord to speak wisdom and direction into my anxious, angry heart.

And as I wait, hoping in God alone, He is faithfully walking through this season with us. He has been exchanging beauty for ashes, strength for fear, gladness for mourning, and peace for despair (Isaiah 61:3).

God is good and I am God’s child.

God is good, and you are God’s child.

How To Stay in a Humble Posture While Waiting, Fighting Anxiety and Anger (:8-9)

How can you stay in that posture?

• Deal with sin.
  • Ask God for deliverance.

Sin blocks the Lord’s voice and His favor. I can’t have hope while living in sin… and yet, sin creeps in unbidden, unexpected, and unaware when trails surround me.

Pride. Jealousy. Bitterness. Self-righteousness. Gluttony. Anxiety/fear. Control. Those are sins that know the pathway to my heart and find me in most trials. In my weakness, I often give in to their call. Sin is real and ugly in my life. Anybody else?

“Save me from all my wrongdoings;
Do not make me an object of reproach for the foolish.
I have become mute, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is You who have done it.” (Psalm 39:8-9 NASB)

Does God Cause Trials or Allow Trails?

Here’s the thing, God is in control. We know this. We repeat it to re-assure ourselves when we don’t understand things.

But if God is in control of everything, does that mean He causes hard seasons in our lives? Does that mean He caused the trials I am facing right now?

Can I just say I am not really sure?

Yikes.

I wish I had a solid answer for you. What I know is this: I am God’s, and God is in control. Trials are hard. They hurt. But whether God causes them or just allows them, He doesn’t leave us alone or without help in their midst.

If this storm is from the Lord, I trust Him to get me through it. If this trial was allowed by the Lord, I believe He will use it for our good and His glory.

It’s okay to not know, as long as you are leaning into Him, trusting His heart even though His hand is confusing.

Sin Leads To Correction From the Lord

So in an already overwhelming situation, David feels the hand of the Lord correcting Him about sin.

Sin leads to correction from the LORD – that is hard.

Did the sin lead to the trial he was facing? We don’t know. Sometimes our trials are merely the consequence of our sin or someone’s sin in our world… but not always… actually… not often from what I see in life.

BUT, during a trial, we are tender and the Lord can speak into areas He wants to shift (sanctify) in our thoughts, words, or actions. That’s a good reason to lean in and listen for His voice. We want to keep growing. To grow, we have to allow Him to reveal sin and then partner with Him to remove sin!

We can pray for deliverance, healing, and restoration like David.

Related Post: How to Live Pleasing God: 12 Benefits of Delighting the Lord

Don’t Justify Your Sin Issues

Verses 8-9 show us a man who didn’t justify his sin. In humility, he accepted correction at the hand of the Lord and waited on God to change him.

Do you justify your sin issues?

I am a control freak. It has hurt my family. I see that. But every time the Lord brings it up, I wrestle with the past that molded me into this anxious, untrusting person. I justify my need to control by reminding Him of all the times He didn’t save me from… rape, homelessness, betrayal, loss…

I have to stay in control, I reason, because I can’t always depend on the Lord in a lost and sinful world.

Anybody else?

But that is sinful in itself. And the Lord and I go round and round about it, until I finally repent.

Related Post: Spiritual Breakthrough: How To Choose The Suitable Type of Fasting

God’s Correction Leads To Change and Exhaustion (:10-11)

The correction of the Lord hurts, but it leads to change when we lean into Him. But it also overwhelms us.

“Remove Your plague from me;
Because of the opposition of Your hand I am perishing.
With rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing;
You consume like a moth what is precious to him;
Certainly all mankind is mere breath! Selah” (Psalm 39:10-11 NASB)

What can you do if the season of trial is overwhelming you?

We serve a loving, personal Father, and we can ask for mercy if the correction feels too harsh.

This reminds me of Psalm 27.

“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.” (Psalm 27:5 NKJV)

When life overwhelms you, ask Him to hide you until you regain your strength.

Tears Bring Blessings (:12-13)

““Hear my prayer, Lord, and listen to my cry for help;
Do not be silent to my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
One who lives abroad, like all my fathers.
Turn Your eyes away from me, that I may become cheerful again
Before I depart and am no more.”” (Psalm 39:12-13 NASB)

In humility, David cries out to the Lord. What is he saying?

“This is too much, Lord. I need you.
I’ve messed up, just like those in the past.
If you don’t step in, I won’t survive this.”

A prayer for mercy in humility – recalling that this world is not our home.

David knows what I wish I could remember in every storm; if God doesn’t fight the battle, I will lose. If God doesn’t move, nothing will change.

Do You Need The Lord Today?

I need Him. If the Lord doesn’t establish my house, it will fall apart. If the Lord doesn’t provide a job, we will lose our home…

I am crying out to Him. If the Lord doesn’t fight for our marriage, it will never be restored. If the Lord doesn’t heal my heart, I may not be able to reconcile if my husband ever truly desires that.

I am desperate for Him. If the Lord doesn’t protect our children, they will carry this baggage into another generation. If the Lord doesn’t fight for their hearts and minds, this will stunt their emotional and spiritual growth, leading to another generation not walking with the Lord.

It is too much, Lord… please…

So We Wait on God in Hope When Anxiety and Anger Threaten Your Peace

Psalm 39 shows a man after God’s own heart. His life depended on God moving.

So he waits on the lord…

David was waiting on the Lord to deliver him from sin, for a breakthrough, for wisdom over enemies, and direction in life.

David waited in:

• Silence
  • Refusing to defend himself to fools, or mis-speak, leading to more sin.
• Prayer
  • Seeking the Only One who could help him.
• Humility
  • Dealing honestly with his sin and reminding himself he is imperfect.
• Tears
  • Seeking the Lord with all his heart.

Are you waiting in hope on the Lord today?

I want to wait, silently, prayerfully, humbly, and desperately, firmly planted in His hands, while He works out the details.

in HIS love,

If you enjoyed this, you will love these articles:

• When You Are Failing At Waiting in Hope: Romans 8:25
• Waiting on God To Answer Prayers
• How To Be of Good Courage While Waiting on The Lord