Topics

Amusements and Worldly Pleasures: The Wicked Seek for Happiness In Ecclesiastes 2:1, 8

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile. / and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.

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Happiness Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

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Happiness Ecclesiastes 3:12

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,

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Happiness Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

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Happiness Isaiah 12:2

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.”

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Happiness Proverbs 14:13

Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow.

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Happiness Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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Happiness Isaiah 12:3

With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,

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Happiness 1 Peter 3:14

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”

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Happiness Psalm 37:3

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

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Happiness Ecclesiastes 3:13

and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Abundant and Satisfying Psalm 36:8

They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Abundant and Satisfying Psalm 63:5

My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods; with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Divine Chastening Job 5:17

Blessed indeed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Divine Chastening James 5:11

See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Fear of God Psalm 128:1, 2

A song of ascents. Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways! / For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Fear of God Proverbs 28:14

Blessed is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Finding Wisdom Proverbs 3:13

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: God Being Their Help Psalm 146:5

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: God Being Their Lord Psalm 144:15

Blessed are the people of whom this is so; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Having Mercy on the Poor Proverbs 14:21

He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Hope in the Lord Psalm 146:5

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Hope of Glory Romans 5:2

through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Obedience to God Psalm 40:8

I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Obedience to God John 13:17

If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Praising God Psalm 135:3

Hallelujah, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Salvation Deuteronomy 33:29

Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.”

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Salvation Isaiah 12:2, 3

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.” / With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Suffering for Christ 2 Corinthians 12:10

That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Suffering for Christ 1 Peter 3:14

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Suffering for Christ 1 Peter 4:13, 14

But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory. / If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: The Words of Christ John 17:13

But now I am coming to You; and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Their Mutual Love Psalm 133:1

A song of ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Trust in God Proverbs 16:20

Whoever heeds instruction will find success, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is Derived From: Trust in God Philippians 4:6, 7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. / And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life is in God Psalm 73:25, 26

Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You. / My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life: Described by Christ in the Beatitudes Matthew 5:3–12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. / Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. / Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

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Happiness of Saints in This Life: Only Found in the Ways of Wisdom Proverbs 3:17, 18

All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful. / She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.

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Happiness of the Righteous Deuteronomy 33:29

Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.”

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Happiness of the Righteous Job 5:17–27

Blessed indeed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. / For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal. / He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.

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Happiness of the Righteous Psalm 36:8

They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.

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Happiness of the Righteous Psalm 40:8

I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

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Happiness of the Righteous Psalm 63:5

My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods; with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.

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Happiness of the Righteous Psalm 128:1, 2

A song of ascents. Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways! / For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.

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Happiness of the Righteous Psalm 133:1

A song of ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!

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Happiness of the Righteous Psalm 144:15

Blessed are the people of whom this is so; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.

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Happiness of the Righteous Psalm 146:5

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

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Happiness of the Righteous Proverbs 3:13–18

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding, / for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold. / She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.

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Happiness of the Righteous Proverbs 14:21

He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.

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Happiness of the Righteous Proverbs 16:20

Whoever heeds instruction will find success, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

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Happiness of the Righteous Proverbs 28:14

Blessed is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

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Happiness of the Righteous Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the Law.

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Happiness of the Righteous Ecclesiastes 2:24–26

Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God. / For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment? / To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

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Happiness of the Righteous Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13, 22

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live, / and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God. / I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?

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Happiness of the Righteous Isaiah 12:2, 3

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.” / With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,

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Happiness of the Righteous Matthew 5:3–12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. / Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. / Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

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Happiness of the Righteous Romans 5:2

through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

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Happiness of the Righteous 2 Corinthians 12:10

That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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Happiness of the Righteous Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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Happiness of the Righteous 1 Peter 3:14

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”

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Happiness of the Righteous 1 Peter 4:12, 13

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. / But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.

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Happiness of the Wicked is Limited to This Life Psalm 17:14

from such men, O LORD, by Your hand—from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.

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Happiness of the Wicked is Limited to This Life Luke 16:25

But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.

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Happiness of the Wicked is Short Job 20:5

the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?

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Happiness of the Wicked is Uncertain Luke 12:20

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

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Happiness of the Wicked is Vain Ecclesiastes 2:1

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.

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Happiness of the Wicked is Vain Ecclesiastes 7:6

For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Belshazzar Daniel 5:1

Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Drunkenness Isaiah 5:11

Woe to those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of strong drink, who linger into the evening, to be inflamed by wine.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Drunkenness Isaiah 56:12

“Come, let me get the wine, let us imbibe the strong drink, and tomorrow will be like today, only far better!”

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Happiness of the Wicked: Envy Not Psalm 37:1

Of David. Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Gluttony Isaiah 22:13

But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

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Happiness of the Wicked: Gluttony Habakkuk 1:16

Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Haman Esther 5:9–11

That day Haman went out full of joy and glad of heart. At the king’s gate, however, he saw Mordecai, who did not rise or tremble in fear at his presence. And Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai. / Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. And calling for his friends and his wife Zeresh, / Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Herod Acts 12:21–23

On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people. / And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” / Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Illustrated Psalm 37:35, 36

I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, / yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Illustrated Luke 12:16–20

Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. / So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’ / Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and will build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Illustrated Luke 16:19, 25

Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. / But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Israel Numbers 11:33

But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and the LORD struck them with a severe plague.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Leads to Recklessness Isaiah 22:12

On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Leads to Sorrow Proverbs 14:13

Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Marred by Jealousy Esther 5:13

Yet none of this satisfies me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

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Happiness of the Wicked: Often Interrupted by Judgments Numbers 11:33

But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and the LORD struck them with a severe plague.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Often Interrupted by Judgments Job 15:21

Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Often Interrupted by Judgments Psalm 73:18–20

Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin. / How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors! / Like one waking from a dream, so You, O Lord, awaken and despise their form.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Often Interrupted by Judgments Jeremiah 25:10, 11

Moreover, I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. / And this whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Saints often Permitted to See the End of Psalm 73:17–20

until I entered God’s sanctuary; then I discerned their end. / Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin. / How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!

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Happiness of the Wicked: Sometimes a Stumbling-Block to Saints Psalm 73:3, 16

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. / When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight

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Happiness of the Wicked: Sometimes a Stumbling-Block to Saints Jeremiah 12:1

Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

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Happiness of the Wicked: Sometimes a Stumbling-Block to Saints Habakkuk 1:13

Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

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Happiness of the Wicked: Successful Oppression Habakkuk 1:15

The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Their Power Job 21:7

Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?

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Happiness of the Wicked: Their Power Psalm 37:35

I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,

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Happiness of the Wicked: Their Wealth Job 21:13

They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Their Wealth Psalm 52:7

“Look at the man who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself by destruction.”

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Happiness of the Wicked: Their Worldly Prosperity Psalm 17:14

from such men, O LORD, by Your hand—from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Their Worldly Prosperity Psalm 37:3, 4, 7

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. / Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. / Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Vain Pleasure Job 21:12

singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Vain Pleasure Isaiah 5:12

At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.

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Happiness of the Wicked: Woe Against Amos 6:1

Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes.

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