When God takes care of people who obey him and punishes people who do evil, it shows how God gives people what their actions deserve (see Galatians 6:7–10). This is called "retribution." The wicked might appear successful for a short while, but their lives are short and meaningless in the end. God and the people who remain faithful to him will have the final victory (see Psalms 9:5, 6, 18; 10:16; 37:20; 73:27; 92:9; compare 142:4; Isaiah 57:1).
People who live in a way that pleases God are happy (Psalms 1:1; 5:12; 14:5). They are happy because God protects and cares for them, listens when they ask for justice, and secures their future (see 121:3–4).
A person's path is their life and character.