Psalms 76:10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.
The wrath of man is thought to be in opposition to God. It’s something that the Israelites struggle against and are often subdued to. However, the psalmist describes the wrath of man as glorifying God. How is this possible?
One example of glory being brought to God is through the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. In that scenario, Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, and despite God’s continuous miracles, Pharaoh refused. In part, this was because of God hardening his heart. God increased the wrath of man that he might be further glorified. Because Pharaoh was unrelenting and didn’t let the people go, it furthered God’s potential for glory through sending more miracles. Not only did it show the Egyptians God’s glory, but it showed entire other nations as rumors of God’s power spread.
Pharaoh’s wrath wasn’t the only instance when the wrath of man brought God glory. The story of Gideon is an excellent example of this. In that story, the Midianites oppress the Israelites, but God raises up a cowardly young man named Gideon. However, with only three hundred soldiers, it was clear that if the battle was won, the glory would not go to the power of Israel but instead to the power of God. As it turned out, the wrath of man directed by God caused the Midianites to turn on themselves and slaughter their own people, thus giving victory to the Israelites and glory to God.
Through opposition, God’s power is given a chance to thrive and to shine in ways it might not have otherwise. Therefore, the wrath of man can be used in powerful ways to bring God praise.
In today’s society, there is plenty of wrath of man, and it makes sense for us as a church to despise it. However, we should also be looking for ways in which God is glorified in the wrath of man. Some of the most oppressive times in the church history have also been its times of most growth. As the wrath of man grows in our world today, let’s look for opportunities to rise to the occasion and give glory to God in the face of trials.
