Job, 24
4. The needy stay far from the road, the poor go into hiding.
4. The needy stay far from the road, the poor go into hiding.
Job chapter 24 addresses the apparent impunity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous in the face of this situation. Job wonders why God seems to allow the wicked to prosper and be successful, while the righteous suffer and are oppressed. It describes various forms of oppression and violence that are committed by the wicked against the poor and needy. Below are five verses related to these themes:
Psalm 37:7 - "Rest in the Lord, and wait for him; do not indignant to him because of the one who thrives in his way, because of the man who performs atatutes attives." This verse talks about waiting in God and not worrying about the wicked who thrive in their malicious practices. This can help bring peace to those who are suffering, like Job.
Psalm 73:3-5 - "For I was jealous of the superb, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no squeezes in his death, but firm is his strength. They are not in work like other men, nor are they afflicted as other men. " The psalmist also questions the apparent prosperity of the wicked, observing how they seem to avoid the pain and suffering that others experience.
Isaiah 10:1-2 - "Woe to those who decree unjust laws, and the clerks who prescribe oppression. To divert the poor from judgment, and to snatch the right of the afflicted of my people; to strip their widows and steal the orphans!" This verse denounces the wicked oppression against the needy and vulnerable, which is one of Job's main concerns in chapter 24.
Jeremiah 12:1 - "You are righteous, O Lord, when I plead with you, yet I will speak to you about your judgments. Why do the way of the wicked, and live in peace all who proceed warmly?" This verse presents a situation similar to that of Job, with the prophet Jeremiah questioning God's righteousness before the apparent success of the wicked.
Habakkuk 1:2-3-"How long, Lord, I will cry out, and you will not hear me? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and the dispute arises. " Habakkuk also questions why God seems to allow violence and oppression, especially in relation to God's people.
“No tumulto das paixões terrenas e das adversidades, surge a grande esperança da misericórdia inexorável de Deus. Corramos confiantes ao tribunal da penitência onde Ele, com ansiedade paterna, espera-nos a todo instante.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina