For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
Read Chapter 125
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
7. "For the Lord will not leave the rod of the ungodly upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands unto wickedness" (ver. 3). At present indeed the righteous suffer in some measure, and at present the unrighteous sometimes tyrannize over the righteous. In what ways? Sometimes the unrighteous arrive at worldly honours: when they have arrived at them, and have been made either judges or kings; for God doth this for the discipline of His folk, for the discipline of His people; the honour due to their power must needs be shown them. For thus hath God ordained His Church, that every power ordained in the world may have honour, and sometimes from those who are better than those in power. For the sake of illustration I take one instance; hence calculate the grades of all powers. The primary and every day relation of authority between man and man is that between master and slave. Almost all houses have a power of this sort. There are masters, there are also slaves; ...
Rod. Sceptre, or violent dominion, Isaias x. 5.
That, Or "therefore. "(Interp. in St. Chrysostom) God always concludes his threats with promises of pardon to the penitent, 1 Corinthians x. 13. (Calmet
He tries his servants for their good, and will not abandon them. (Worthington)
The captivity lasted only 70 years: the ten persecutions of the Christian Church were terminated in 300 years; and though the wicked should even put the just to death, then their rod remains no longer upon them. If the virtuous were always suffering, the temptation might be too strong. But those who are sincere, at last emerge from the cloud, and force their enemies to applaud their conduct. (Berthier)
