The word that Chambers focuses on in Psalm 37:8 is translated "fret" in the Revised Version he quotes. The word used in Hebrew is "Charah" which means "to burn with anger." The Hebrew stem adds the sense of causing yourself to do something, so it really has the sense of "causing yourself to burn with anger." The English word "fret" has the sense of wearing away, corroding, and gnawing away, and is rarely associated with anger. Perhaps at the turn of the previous century, the word related more to anger than current usage. I only found one reference to anger or fury as a possible synonym, but it occurred first in the list of possibilities, so perhaps it was more common at one time. It wasn't what sprung to mind as a possible translation when I looked at it.
In the discussion Chambers follows on this, it would have more to do with worry instead of anger anyway. The context of the Psalm seems to imply something of sitting and fuming while waiting, as in waiting in anger for Yahweh to punish those evil people. So, it can be the sense of fret, but with the strong implication that this fretting is done with anger. Oh, and before I leave this discussion of this word, notice that it is used in poetry, and therefore suspect in usage. I say that because poets try very hard to use related words, for a topic, and meanings may be stretched somewhat. So, this may not be the most common usage of this word in Hebrew, and those in that day probably picked up on shade of meaning lost to me over the past 3,000 years. I admit it could happen.
Chambers ties fretting to several things. First, he says I need to avoid it in the times things are not going my way; second, my fretting lets my wicked selfishness show; and third, my fret shows my lack of faith. He cools this meaning down to worry rather than anger, and in doing so, makes the application much more personal, and more common. It might be easy for me to say that I don't wait in anger very often, but I have to admit that I do fret in some way or another more commonly.
For instance, I expected to start working my job remotely tomorrow. The magic "black box" I needed to do so hasn't even been built yet (at least, not to my knowledge). So, now it looks as if I have another week to wait before I begin work. In order to begin work, I will have to configure, test, re-configure, re-test, and so on the equipment I use to do my job. I can plan on it not working the first time. So, that being the case, I have much waiting to do. I don't like it. I worry about it. I don't like the fact that I am burning up time off or taking days without pay to get this thing setup. I don't like it, partly because I have some rather large sales I am waiting on that I expect this coming week. I really hate that! So, you see, I fret in anger. I do not trust my Master. And I lack faith; at least not in this.
The reality I struggle to accept is that the Master of Timing knows my circumstances, and, for whatever reason, has not decided to let me begin work when I wanted to. He has other plans to which I need to submit. And I need to submit not only because that is what a servant does to his master, but because the plans of my Master are greater, more important plans than I can imagine. And it is a mighty act of grace on His part to include me in His plans. If I have to take time-off-without-pay, that is not a surprise to my Master, it is a part of His purpose. So be it.
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