Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss is that Nehemiah isn't boasting or demanding reward; he's humbly asking God to remember his actions as a sign of faithfulness to Him. This isn't about deserving heaven, but about God's gracious promise to acknowledge and bless those who act righteously for His people's sake. It's an honest, practical appeal for divine awareness of his costly efforts.
Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Nehemiah has just delivered a powerful rebuke to the nobles and officials who were exploiting the poor, forcing them to mortgage their land and enslave their children. After they agree to make restitution and return what they unjustly took, Nehemiah concludes this section with a heartfelt prayer, asking God to remember his own efforts and faithfulness in leading this charge for justice.
Nehemiah isn't boasting or demanding. He's appealing to God's character and promises, asking for God to respond to his actions as God himself designed.
Nehemiah’s prayer isn't about earning God's favor through sheer merit. Instead, it's a prayer rooted in the principle of reciprocity that God Himself established. He’s saying, 'God, you established the principle that faithfulness to your people is seen and rewarded by you. You've promised to remember and bless those who do good in your name. I’ve acted according to that principle, so I appeal to your faithfulness to respond accordingly.'
Think of it like this: A loving parent might say to a child who has faithfully helped around the house, 'Because you’ve been so helpful, I’ll make sure you get your favorite treat.' The child isn’t earning the treat in a transactional sense, but the parent is responding to the child's good actions out of love and a desire to encourage more of the same. Nehemiah is appealing to God’s goodness and His established patterns of blessing those who serve Him.
In a moment of deep challenge, Nehemiah turns not to the people he served, but to the One who sees all and empowers all.
This verse reveals the heart of a leader who understands true accountability. Nehemiah isn't seeking accolades or recognition from the people he’s been serving. He’s acutely aware of their struggles and his own efforts, but his ultimate appeal is directed towards God.
This prayer is a candid, almost raw, outpouring of his heart. It's a recognition that human opinion is fleeting, but God’s perspective is eternal. He's not praying for fame or fortune, but for God to 'remember' him positively, acknowledging his service done for God's sake. This intimate appeal highlights the personal relationship Nehemiah has with God, trusting that the Lord alone is the ultimate judge and rewarder.
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Understand the original words
zakar · Hebrew Verb
A frequent prayer in the Psalms and prophetic literature, this reflects a covenantal appeal where the believer asks God to acknowledge their faithfulness and bestow blessing or favor in response to their obedient conduct.
This prayer from Nehemiah comes at the climax of his efforts to address a severe social crisis within the returned Jewish community. His plea is not for personal glory, but for God to remember his selfless actions in leading the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and in standing against the exploitation of the poor, seeking divine favor rather than human reward.
538 BC
First Return from Exile
Following Cyrus the Great's decree, thousands of Jewish exiles returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. They began rebuilding the Temple, but faced significant opposition.
457 BC
Ezra's Return
Ezra the scribe led another significant group of exiles back to Jerusalem, focusing on religious reform and enforcing the Law.
c. 445 BC— this verse
Nehemiah Appointed Governor
King Artaxerxes I of Persia appointed Nehemiah, a Jewish cupbearer, as governor of Judah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
c. 445-444 BC
Rebuilding the Walls
Nehemiah rallied the people to rebuild Jerusalem's walls in a remarkably short time, despite facing intense opposition and threats from neighboring peoples.
c. 444 BC
Social and Economic Crisis
During the wall rebuilding, many poor Jews cried out that they were mortgaged and starving due to high taxes and exploitation by their wealthy countrymen. This led to Nehemiah's strong intervention.
This passage echoes Nehemiah's prayer, reminding us that God is righteous and will not forget the work and love shown in serving His people, just as Nehemiah appeals for God to remember his service.
Luke 6:38Nehemiah's plea, 'according to all that I have done for this people,' aligns with Jesus' teaching to 'give, and it will be given to you.' It suggests an understanding that acts of kindness and service are often met with corresponding blessings, whether from God or others.
1 Corinthians 15:58The apostle Paul's exhortation to 'be abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord' resonates with Nehemiah's earnest prayer. It affirms that dedicated service, like Nehemiah's, is seen and valued by God.
Matthew 25:40Jesus' words, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me,' provide a profound theological basis for Nehemiah's prayer. It frames his service to 'this people' as service directly to God, making his appeal for remembrance deeply fitting.
clarkeNehemiah 5:19: "Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people."
Think upon me, my God, for good - Nehemiah wishes for no reward from man; and he only asks mercy at the hand of his God for what his providence enabled him to do; and which, according to the good hand of his God upon him, he had done faithfully. He does not offer his good deeds to God in extenuation of his sins, or as a compensation for the heaven he expected. Nothing of the kind: he simply says…
pooleNehemiah 5:19: "Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people."
As I have done thy people good for thy sake, so do me good for thine own sake; for thou art pleased, and hast promised graciously to reward us according to our works, and to mete to men the same measure which they mete to others.
What's easy to miss is that Nehemiah isn't boasting or demanding reward; he's humbly asking God to remember his actions as a sign of faithfulness to Him. This isn't about deserving heaven, but about God's gracious promise to acknowledge and bless those who act righteously for His people's sake. It's an honest, practical appeal for divine awareness of his costly efforts.
Nehemiah has just delivered a powerful rebuke to the nobles and officials who were exploiting the poor, forcing them to mortgage their land and enslave their children. After they agree to make restitution and return what they unjustly took, Nehemiah concludes this section with a heartfelt prayer, asking God to remember his own efforts and faithfulness in leading this charge for justice.
Nehemiah has just delivered a powerful rebuke to the nobles and officials who were exploiting the poor, forcing them to mortgage their land and enslave their children. After they agree to make restitution and return what they unjustly took, Nehemiah concludes this section with a heartfelt prayer, asking God to remember his own efforts and faithfulness in leading this charge for justice.
"Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people." — What's easy to miss is that Nehemiah isn't boasting or demanding reward; he's humbly asking God to remember his actions as a sign of faithfulness to Him. This isn't about deserving heaven, but about…
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Last reviewed October 2026