righteousness/holiness vs. faithfulness

The word-group connected to righteousness in the OT is often associated with (Abrahamic) "covenant faithfulness" among NT scholars who follow the trajectory set by the "New Perspective of Paul" approach.  This seems right a priori.  After all, Isaiah makes the case in the second half of the book that righteousness and salvation are part of what Yahweh will be doing when he restores Israel from exile.  Thus,  Yahweh vindicates (right- word group) Israel and also Himself.  This is especially the case in the Third Servant Song in ch. 50, where Yahweh clearly vindicates His servant.

However, this approach fails to take seriously the overwhelming evidence in the corpus that connects righteousness to its legal and Deuteronomic background.  A quick cursory look at the data supports this (see Job below).  Furthermore, right- word group is also intricately connected to the conception of holiness.  Yahweh dwells in his temple/palace in Heaven (His permanent dwelling) in complete otherness (the primary definition of holiness).  He stands upon His throne as judge and he rules in righteousness and holiness.  Isaiah got a partial taste of Yahweh's otherness in Isaiah 6 when the heavenly attendants proclaimed Yahweh's holiness (in triplicate, a Hebraism which signals infinity).   This is not only true for Isaiah, but also for others, including Job whose primary concern is to vindicate his righteousness before Yawheh (ch 31) in light of his suffering.  Job simply cannot comprehend why he would suffer since he has obeyed God's laws, including, as he sees it,  the internal requirements of the law (covetousness).  However, when Yahweh responds out of his theophanic appearing in the "whirlwind" (ch 40), the discussion is about righteousness and whether Job can, as it were, "keep up" with God's own degree of righteousness (connected to His uniqueness as Creator; see Ps 50).  Here also in Job 40, the righteousness of God is deeply embedded in his justice as king.   Numerous examples elsewhere keep adding to this picture of the forensic background to righteousness in the OT so that "justice/righteousness" can be taken as word-pair in the same way that "heaven-earth" can.  

So, if righteousness is not primarily connected to (Abrahamic) covenant faithfulness in the OT, what do the writers of Scripture in the OT use to describe Yahweh's faithfulness and patience based on His covenantal promises?  Here, the evidence points to a different but equally primary term:  hesed-steadfast love or faithfulness.   It is His "steadfast love" that "endures forever." This covenantal faithfulness is  based on His promise that He would restore His people.  To be sure, this is also a manifestation of His righteousness in that he is uniquely (the idea of "holiness") able to restore His people, but this meaning is derivative, not primary when the topic of faithfulness is in view (see Nehemiah 9) 

It seems Paul can still be understood to use this meaning of righteousness also in Romans 1 where the righteousness of God is revealed  as a manifestation of his judgement of idolatrous and immoral humankind. 

Much more needs to be said here, to be sure, but it's important to define these fundamental terms properly if we are ever going to move the discussion forward (i.e., beyond the current debates) when it comes to articulating what it means to be declared righteous in Christ in the New Testament.