Laws of Justice and Mercy

“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.

“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,

“Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.

Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.

And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them.

Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?

It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.

The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.

The King is mighty, he loves justice— you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right.

The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth does not betray justice.

A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.

Riches Are Meaningless

If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

Salvation for Others

This is what the Lord says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks along them will know peace.

So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.

We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves. We look for justice, but find none; for deliverance, but it is far away.

and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice. They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.

Jeremiah’s Complaint

You are always righteous, Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

This is what the Lord says to you, house of David: “‘Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done— burn with no one to quench it.

Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness—