Jeremiah 12:1-4--Jeremiah's Complaint

Jeremiah 12:1-4
English Standard Version

Jeremiah's Complaint
12 Righteous are you, O LORD,
    when I complain to you;
    yet I would plead my case before you.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
    Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
2 You plant them, and they take root;
    they grow and produce fruit;
you are near in their mouth
    and far from their heart.
3 But you, O LORD, know me;
    you see me, and test my heart toward you.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
    and set them apart for the day of slaughter.
4 How long will the land mourn
    and the grass of every field wither?
For the evil of those who dwell in it
    the beasts and the birds are swept away,
    because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”

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Jeremiah has a conversation with the LORD very similar to the one that David had with the LORD in the Psalms (and others in the Bible have also asked this question).  "Why do the wicked prosper?" and "Why do the treacherous thrive?"  It seems like they are receiving what should be the blessings of the covenant in their disobedience, and the "righteous"(I use quotation marks because none or us are righteous on our own, but speaking by relative comparison, those who are "less bad") seem to suffer and receive judgment.  Look at Jeremiah as an example.  He's a prophet of the LORD and conveying the LORD's message, and he's being persecuted and threatened with death because of it.

Jeremiah tries to intercede for the people, even though the LORD told Him not to do so.  He asks that the Good Shepherd do no harm to His sheep (bur are they really His sheep?).  He asks that the judgment be more selective--only punish the bad people (but we are all bad people deserving of punishment).  Jeremiah wishes to know the number of days of the exile--how long will the people and the land be punished?  Certainly the LORD's anger will not last forever and He will once again forgive His people.  How long, O ORD?  How long will it take for the people to learn their lesson and once again turn to the LORD?