Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RIGHT'EOUS, a. [ri'chus; Sax. rihtwise; right and wise, manner, as in otherwise, lengthwise.]

1. Just; accordant to the divine law. Applied to persons, it denotes one who is holy in heart, and observant of the divine commands in practice; as, a righteous man. Applied to things, it denotes consonant to the divine will or to justice; as a righteous act. It is used chiefly in theology, and applied to God, to his testimonies and to his saints. The righteous, in Scripture, denote the servants of God, the saints.
2. Just; equitable; merited. And I thy righteous doom will bless. – Dryden.