Psalm 37:8 Refrain from anger & Turn away from wrath

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

Psalm 37:8

David brings us back to the Put Off/Put On theme he's employed throughout this Psalm. 

So far, he's focused mostly on the characteristics and actions we need to “Put-On” if we want to successfully "put off" fretting and envying in response to wicked people.

• Actively, whole-heartedly trust in the Lord
• Intentionally do good
• Seek out ways to serve God no matter where he has put you
• Find and express genuine delight in your life with the Lord
• Commit wholly to that life
• Be still rather than leaping into hasty action
• Wait patiently for the Lord to take care of things

But the "put off" part is equally important. By intentionally removing the harmful habits from our lives, we create a vacuum which our newly acquired righteous habits can fill. This works much better than just passively expecting spiritual transformation to just happen.

Many spiritual or religious people have picked up a common attitude toward the Psalms. It's poetry, they think. And most people think the proper approach to poetry is to give it a light reading and briefly bask in whatever emotional response it prompts. 

And so, the average person reads Psalm 37 and thinks, Wow, that’s cool. And they move along with life, completely lacking in any thought of intentionally making real changes in their life as a result of what they've just read. 

But that's the problem David is writing about. Instead of letting your emotions control your response to the evil actions of wicked people, find a constructive way to respond in a more positive way.

Let your gentleness be known to all. The Lord is near. Philippians 4:5

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

The intolerance and quick anger of Christians is certainly evident to non-believers. In fact, polls and surveys consistently show it's one of the chief characteristics people associate with Christians. 

If you intentionally do the hard work of putting off your anger and wrath, replacing it with a disciplined of gentle spirit, listening ear, and active kindness, it will be evident to non-believers.