“Righteous Are You, O Lord”
Thursday’s Verse:
From Jeremiah 12:1 ESV
“Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?”
Today during Bible class at noon (you are invited to join us at 225 Center Street, New Milford, NJ), we intend to move through our study of Jeremiah, Chapters 11 and 12. And right there at the start of Chapter 12, the question of questions: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
We’ve all asked ourselves these questions as we see people who don’t live holy or upright lives seem to have very prosperous lives, but those who try to live good lives seem to struggle.
Jeremiah’s question lasts the test of time. The prophet proclaimed God’s Word faithfully, only to be opposed by people close to him—even those from his own hometown. Meanwhile, the treacherous seem secure, rooted, and fruitful. Jeremiah sees evil being rewarded.
Yet notice where he begins in verse 1: “Righteous are you, O LORD.” Jeremiah trusts that God is righteous even while life looks terribly unjust. That is a profoundly Lutheran confession: God’s character does not change because our circumstances are hard to understand.
The Lord does not give Jeremiah a simple timetable for judgment. Instead, He calls His prophet to persevere: “If you have raced with footmen and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?” (Jeremiah 12:5).
At the cross, God gives us the deepest answer—not by standing at a safe distance from evil, but by bearing its full weight. Jesus, the innocent One, was treated as guilty. The wicked appeared to win on Good Friday. But Easter revealed that sin, death, injustice, and the powers of evil do not have the final word. God’s justice may not arrive on our preferred schedule, but it is neither absent nor defeated.
So when we see dishonest people succeed, cruelty go unpunished, or faithfulness seem to cost more than it gains, we need not pretend it does not hurt. Like Jeremiah, we may bring the question honestly to God. And like Jeremiah, we begin with this confession: “Righteous are You, O LORD.”
✝️ A Prayer for Today
Righteous Lord, when the prosperity of the wicked troubles us and faithfulness seems costly, keep us from envy, bitterness, and despair. Give us Jeremiah’s honesty in prayer and Jeremiah’s trust in Your justice. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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