Be angry and do not sin ... Psalm 4:4 (5 in Hebrew).
Be angry and do not sin ... Psalm 4:4 (5 in Hebrew).
רִגְז֗וּ וְֽאַל־תֶּ֫חֱטָ֥אוּ
The Hebrew verb רָגַז (rāgaz) is a Qal stem root that conveys meanings such as trembling, quaking, agitation, or rage. In its imperative form in the second person masculine plural, it typically consists of the root plus the suffix -וּ, with a ḥireq (ִ ) under the first radical, indicating the imperative, and a vocal shewa (ְ ) under the second—forming a short, emphatic command.
In Ephesians 4:26, Paul references this passage using the Greek verb ὀργίζω, which denotes wrath—an outburst of anger. This helps clarify the sense conveyed by the Hebrew רָגַז (rāgaz), depicting a person shaking due to intense agitation.
The inseparable conjunction וְ (vav) is attached to the particle of prohibition אַל, functioning similarly to the English expression “but do not.” While vav is often translated as “and,” it can also mean “but,” “indeed,” or other conjunctions depending on context, providing narrative or logical progression.
The Hebrew verb תֶּ֫חֱטָ֥אוּ comes from the room “to sin” and is expressed in the imperfect tense. Thus, it conveys an ongoing or incomplete action, best rendered as “you all are sinning”.
Therefore, the phrase should be understood as: “You all be wrathful, but do not sin.” This aligns with James 1:20: “For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”