'Righteous' in the Bible

These are the records of the generations (family history) of Noah. Noah was a righteous man [one who was just and had right standing with God], blameless in his [evil] generation; Noah walked (lived) [in habitual fellowship] with God.

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you with all your household, for you [alone] I have seen as righteous (doing what is right) before Me in this generation.

For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and [the sons of] his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is righteous and just, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has promised him.”

Abraham approached [the Lord] and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous (those who do right) with the wicked (those who do evil)?

Suppose there are fifty righteous [people] within the city; will You really sweep it away and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?

Far be it from You to do such a thing—to strike the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right [by executing just and righteous judgment]?”

So the Lord said, “If I find within the city of Sodom fifty righteous [people], then I will spare the entire place for their sake.”

If five of the fifty righteous are lacking, will You destroy the entire city for lack of five?” And He said, “If I find [at least] forty-five [righteous people] there, I will not destroy it.”

Then Abraham said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry [with me], and I will speak only this once; suppose ten [righteous people] are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

Judah recognized the articles, and said, “She has been more righteous [in this matter] than I, because I did not give her to my son Shelah [as I had promised].” And Judah did not have [intimate] relations with her again.

Keep far away from a false charge or action, and do not condemn to death the innocent or the righteous, for I will not justify and acquit the guilty.

“You shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the testimony and the cause of the righteous.

“Who can count the dust (the descendants) of JacobAnd the number of even the fourth part of Israel?Let me die the death of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God],And let my end be like his!”

“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your cities (gates) which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

You shall pursue justice, and only justice [that which is uncompromisingly righteous], so that you may live and take possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

“He selected the best [land] for himself,For there the leader’s portion was reserved;Yet he came with the leaders of the people;He carried out the justice (righteous will) of the Lord,And His ordinances (judgments) with Israel.”

“At the sound of those who divide flocks among the watering places,There they shall recount the righteous acts of the Lord,The righteous acts toward His villagers in Israel.Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates.

So I have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war against me; may the Lord, the [righteous] Judge, judge this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.’”

Now then, take your stand, so that I may plead and contend with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord which He did for you and for your fathers.

The Lord will return his bloody deeds upon his own head, because he struck down two men more righteous and honorable than he and killed them with the sword, without my father David knowing: Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.

then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing his guilt on his own head, and justifying the righteous by rewarding him in accordance with his righteousness.

then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, punishing the wicked by bringing his conduct on his own head, and providing justice to the righteous by giving to him in accordance with his righteousness (innocence).

Then the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is righteous.”

O Lord God of Israel, You are [uncompromisingly] just (righteous), for we have been left as survivors, as it is this day. Behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one can stand before You because of this.”

“You found his heart to be faithful before You,And You made a covenant with himTo give him the land of the Canaanite,Of the Hittite, of the Amorite,Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite—To give it to his descendants.And You have fulfilled Your promise,For You are righteous and just.

Then, if you are pure and upright,Surely now He will awaken for youAnd restore your righteous place.

For though I were righteous, I could not answer.I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge.

‘If I am wicked, woe to me [for judgment comes]!And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head.For I am sated and filled with disgrace and the sight of my misery.

“For you have said, ‘My teaching (doctrine) [that God knowingly afflicts the righteous] is pure,And I am innocent in your eyes.’

“Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his ways,And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

“Is it any pleasure or joy to the Almighty that you are righteous?Or is it of benefit to Him that you make your ways perfect?

“The righteous see it and are glad;And the innocent mock and laugh at them, saying,

“There the righteous and upright could reason with Him;So I would be acquitted forever by my Judge.

“How then can man be justified and righteous with God?Or how can he who is born of a woman be pure and clean?

So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes [and could not be persuaded otherwise by them].

“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous [and innocent],But God has taken away my right;

“If you are righteous, what do you give God,Or what does He receive from your hand?

“Even though you say that you do not see Him [when missing His righteous judgment on earth],Yet your case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!

Job uselessly opens his mouthAnd multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].”

“He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous [those in right standing with Him];But with kings upon the throneHe has seated them forever, and they are exalted.

“Will you really annul My judgment and set it aside as void?Will you condemn Me [your God] that you may [appear to] be righteous and justified?

Therefore the wicked will not stand [unpunished] in the judgment,Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord knows and fully approves the way of the righteous,But the way of the wicked shall perish.

For You, O Lord, bless the righteous man [the one who is in right standing with You];You surround him with favor as with a shield.

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous [those in right standing with You];For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.

God is a righteous judge,And a God who is indignant every day.

“If the foundations [of a godly society] are destroyed,What can the righteous do?”

The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,And His soul hates the [malevolent] one who loves violence.

For the Lord is [absolutely] righteous, He loves righteousness (virtue, morality, justice);The upright shall see His face.

There they tremble with great fear,For God is with the [consistently] righteous generation.

Hear the just (righteous) cause, O Lord; listen to my loud [piercing] cry;Listen to my prayer, that comes from guileless lips.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.

Let the lying lips be mute,Which speak insolently and arrogantly against the [consistently] righteousWith pride and contempt.

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous [who actively seek right standing with Him];Shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones;Praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright [in heart—those with moral integrity and godly character].

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous [those with moral courage and spiritual integrity]And His ears are open to their cry.

When the righteous cry [for help], the Lord hearsAnd rescues them from all their distress and troubles.

Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous,But the Lord rescues him from them all.

Evil will cause the death of the wicked,And those who hate the righteous will be held guilty and will be condemned.

Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication and want what is right for me;Let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, who delights and takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

The wicked plots against the righteousAnd gnashes at him with his teeth.

Better is the little of the righteous [who seek the will of God]Than the abundance (riches) of many wicked (godless).

For the arms of the wicked will be broken,But the Lord upholds and sustains the righteous [who seek Him].

The wicked borrows and does not pay back,But the righteous is gracious and kind and gives.

I have been young and now I am old,Yet I have not seen the righteous (those in right standing with God) abandonedOr his descendants pleading for bread.

The righteous will inherit the landAnd live in it forever.

The mouth of the righteous proclaims wisdom,And his tongue speaks justice and truth.

The wicked lies in wait for the righteousAnd seeks to kill him.

But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;He is their refuge and stronghold in the time of trouble.

Let Mount Zion be glad,Let the daughters of Judah rejoiceBecause of Your [righteous] judgments.

The righteous will see it and fear,And will [scoffingly] laugh, saying,

Cast your burden on the Lord [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you;He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail).

The [unyieldingly] righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance [of God];He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

Men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;Surely there is a God who judges on the earth.”

The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him;All the upright in heart will glory and offer praise.

But let the righteous be glad; let them be in good spirits before God,Yes, let them rejoice with delight.

May they be blotted out of the book of life [and their lives come to an end]And may they not be recorded with the righteous (those in right standing with God).

My mouth shall tell of Your righteousnessAnd of Your [deeds of] salvation all day long,For their number is more than I know.

In his days may the righteous flourish,And peace abound until the moon is no more.

All the horns of the wicked He will cut off,But the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.

For they provoked Him to [righteous] anger with their high places [devoted to idol worship]And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images [by denying Him the love, worship, and obedience that is rightfully and uniquely His].

The righteous will flourish like the date palm [long-lived, upright and useful];They will grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic and stable].

For judgment will again be righteous,And all the upright in heart will follow it.

They band themselves together against the life of the righteousAnd condemn the innocent to death.

Light is sown [like seed] for the righteous and illuminates their path,And [irrepressible] joy [is spread] for the upright in heart [who delight in His favor and protection].

Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones [those whose moral and spiritual integrity places them in right standing with God],And praise and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

He will never be shaken;The righteous will be remembered forever.

Gracious is the Lord, and [consistently] righteous;Yes, our God is compassionate.

The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous:The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

This is the gate of the Lord;The righteous will enter through it.

I will give thanks to You with an upright heart,When I learn [through discipline] Your righteous judgments [for my transgressions].

At midnight I will rise to give thanks to YouBecause of Your righteous ordinances.

I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are fair,And that in faithfulness You have disciplined me.

I have sworn [an oath] and have confirmed it,That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.

My eyes fail [with longing, watching] for [the fulfillment of] Your salvation,And for [the fulfillment of] Your righteous word.

Tsadhe.Righteous are You, O Lord,And upright are Your judgments.

Your righteous testimonies are everlasting;Give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart] that I may live.

Hear my voice according to Your [steadfast] lovingkindness;O Lord, renew and refresh me according to Your ordinances.

The sum of Your word is truth [the full meaning of all Your precepts],And every one of Your righteous ordinances endures forever.