תהלים, פרק צ״ב, פסוק ט׳

When wicked individuals appear to succeed and thrive, it is natural for doubts to arise about the existence of divine providence and justice in the world. Yet, there is a sharp contrast between the temporary success of those who do wrong and the eternal, carefully calculated rule of God. God's position is so elevated that an ignorant person simply cannot understand the hidden workings of His leadership or why the wicked are allowed to live in peace [אבן עזרא]. From this supreme position, human sins do not damage or affect God in any way, as He remains completely unchanging [אלשיך].

The primary approach among commentators is that the prosperity of the wicked should never be seen as an absence of divine oversight. God watches everything from above, precisely planning both the apparent rise of evil and its inevitable downfall [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This raises a question about why God is patient with wicked people and does not punish them the moment they sin. The answer lies in the profound difference between God and a human ruler. A mortal king rushes to punish rebels because he fears losing his power or dying before he can carry out justice. God, however, is eternal and always holds ultimate power, meaning He has no need to rush [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, this delay stems from a desire to give wrongdoers additional opportunities to correct their ways. Sometimes, this chance to repair past mistakes is even granted by having them return to the world in further reincarnations [אלשיך].

Ultimately, a time will come when those who do evil will perish, and every person will receive the exact outcome they have earned [רד״ק, מאירי]. If wrongdoers do not face their punishment during their lifetime, justice will still be fully served after they die [מצודת דוד]. In the future, God will maintain the upper hand in all His judgments, and everyone will clearly recognize His perfect justice and willingly accept His decisions [רש״י].