Martin Luther on Psalms 129:4

Verſe 4. The Righteous Lord hath cut the cords of the wicked. Theſe words are ſo full of conſolation, that to the children of God in their calamities and afflictions, nothing can be more comfortable. For they know that no munitions, no furniture of war can be ſo ſtrong. Firſt of all therefore, weigh and conſider why he calleth the Lord Righteous, and ye ſhall ſee that he ſo doth, becauſe that, when a man conſidereth according to the judgment of the fleſh, the things which are here done, and how God governeth and ruleth the ſame, it ſeemeth no otherwiſe but that he is unrighteous and unjuſt in ſupporting the tyranny of the wicked with great riches, power, dignity, &c. When reaſon ſeeth this, it can judg nothing elſe, but that if there be a God, he is unjuſt. For firſt of all thus doth reaſon gather: If there be a God, he is able to reſiſt the wicked, and utterly to deſtroy them. For to be a God is to be Almighty. Again, thus carnal reaſon argueth: If there be a God, he muſt needs know thoſe things which are done in the world; for it cannot be ſaid of God, that he is ignorant of any thing. Now what elſe followeth hereof, but that if God know theſe things to be cruelly and unjuſtly done, and he is able to reſiſt them, he ought alſo to be no leſs willing to do the ſame. For if we think that he will not do that which he knoweth and is able to do, it muſt follow that he is not good, but evil; not juſt, but unjuſt. Now lay theſe things together. If God have power, wiſdom and goodneſs in him; if he be able to help; if he know how, and alſo be willing to help; why are all theſe things done and governed in the world in ſuch ſort, that the wicked have power, riches & dignity, as a reward of their impiety? and contrariwiſe the godly for their piety and godlineſs are many ways and moſt cruelly afflicted? All theſe things are a lively teſtimony againſt God, as before we ſaid of Diogenes. This argument of Epicurus and ſuch like Atheiſts, is to the fleſh invincible. Wherefore reaſon being altogether blinded and wrapped in theſe ſnares, inclineth to this opinion, That there is no God, or elſe that he regardeth not the affairs of men. Of this offence and ſtumbling block the holy Ghoſt warneth us, when he attributeth this name unto God, that he is righteous, whom unrighteouſneſs and impiety pleaſeth not. Therefore although he ſuffer the wicked to flouriſh for a time, yet at the laſt he cutteth their cords, that is, he deſtroyeth both their power and them, according to that ſaying,Pſal. 5. Thou art not a God that loveth wickedneſs. Wherefore let Chriſtians learn to judge, not by that which preſently they feel, but by that which the Word of God promiſeth, and ſhall aſſuredly come to paſs; to wit, That the wicked, when they have long plowed upon the backs of the faithful, and many ways afflicted them, ſhall periſh at the length. For God is juſt, and his juſtice will not ſuffer the righteous to be oppreſſed.