Do not be agitated—
it can only bring harm.
—Psalm 37:8
Psalm 37 opens with these words: “Do not fret because of evildoers.” Various translations have it: “Do not be agitated;” “Do not be upset;” “Don’t be annoyed.”
Eugene Peterson paraphrased verse 8 this way: “Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes—it only makes things worse.”
So, how do we curb our agitation; cool our pipes? The answer is found in the same psalm. It repeatedly reminds us to stop obsessing about the cause of our agitation and get focused on the Lord:
Trust in the Lord (v. 3);
Delight yourself in the Lord (v. 4);
Commit your way to the Lord (v. 5);
Be still before the Lord (v. 7);
Wait for the Lord (v. 34).
Agitation is poison.
Don’t drink from that glass.