Psalm 102:13-16
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The verse highlights that God's "arising" isn't just about intervention, but a chosen moment of favor. The repetition of "time to favor her" and "the set time" emphasizes that God's mercy operates on His divine timetable, not ours, bringing a specific, promised season of restoration. This reveals that even in deep distress, there's a divinely appointed moment for hope to dawn.
You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come. For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust. Nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory. For the LORD builds up Zion; he appears in his glory;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is lamenting the desolate state of Zion and his own suffering, feeling abandoned by God. However, this verse marks a shift, as the psalmist receives an assurance that God will indeed intervene, arise from His apparent inaction, and show compassion. This deliverance is not arbitrary but comes at a specific, divinely appointed time, signaling the end of a period of exile and distress.
When Israel felt abandoned in exile, this verse bursts with the promise that God hasn't forgotten them. It speaks to a moment of divine intervention, not based on human effort, but on God's perfect timing.
God Arises for His People
When the Psalmist cries out, the language of God 'arising' signifies a powerful shift. It's not that God was ever absent, but that He is now actively intervening. Think of it like a king who has been observing a situation and finally steps in to set things right.
This intervention is fueled by mercy and directed towards Zion – representing not just the city, but God's people. The verse reassures that this isn't a random act of kindness, but a planned, purposeful moment.
The 'Set Time'
The phrase 'the set time' (or 'appointed time') is crucial. It points to a specific moment ordained by God, often linked to prophetic timelines like the seventy years of Babylonian exile foretold by Jeremiah. Even when circumstances seem bleak and endless, God operates according to a divinely appointed schedule. This offers immense comfort: God's plans are unfolding, even if we can't see the full picture yet.
Why Zion? This verse highlights that God's attention is focused on His people and His dwelling place. It’s a reminder that we are precious to Him, and His plans revolve around our restoration.
God's Compassion for Zion
'Zion' in this context represents more than just a geographical location. It symbolizes God's people, His covenant community, and the place where His presence dwells. When God 'arises and has pity on Zion,' He is showing deep compassion and a desire to restore what has been broken.
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This isn't just about political or physical rebuilding; it's about spiritual restoration and re-establishing His relationship with His chosen people.
The Heartbeat of God's People
The verse implies that God's people also yearn for Zion's restoration. Their pleasure is found in her very stones, even in ruins. This deep affection demonstrates that their hearts are aligned with God's heart for His people and His dwelling place. When God sees this devotion, it fuels His own desire to act. The longing of His servants becomes a reflection of His own redemptive purpose.
Understand the original words
tsiyyon · Hebrew Proper Noun
A city physically located in Jerusalem, but theologically representing the dwelling place of God, the center of worship, and the ultimate hope for the restoration of God’s people.
chanan · Hebrew Verb/Noun
In biblical context, God's favor (or grace) is His unmerited kindness, gracious attention, and active goodwill directed toward His people to rescue, restore, or bless them.
mo'ed · Hebrew Noun
Refers to a specific, God-ordained moment in history when He intervenes to fulfill His promises, enact justice, or bring deliverance to His covenant people.
avadekha · Hebrew Noun
Those who belong to God, serving Him with devotion and obedience; it signifies a relationship of submission to His authority and commitment to His purposes.
yara · Hebrew Verb
To experience deep reverence, awe, and submission before the majesty and holiness of God; it is the appropriate response of a creature to the Creator.
shem · Hebrew Noun
The character, reputation, authority, and presence of God; to know His name is to know His true nature and to stand in awe of His divine identity.
kabod · Hebrew Noun
The visible or manifest presence and splendor of God; it refers to the weight, beauty, and incomparable majesty of His divine essence that demands recognition from all creation.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of the covenant, representing His self-existence, faithfulness, and redemptive relationship with His people. It is the name by which He revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush.
Tsiyyon · Hebrew Proper Noun
Originally a Jebusite fortress, it became the 'City of David' and the mountain where the Temple was built. Symbolically, it represents the dwelling place of God, the center of worship, and the future hope of God's kingdom and city.
kabod · Hebrew Noun
The manifestation of God's presence, majesty, character, and power. It refers to the radiance of His divine nature, often associated with light, fire, or the holiness that surrounds His throne.
This psalm speaks from the depths of Babylonian exile, expressing a desperate longing for God to act. The 'appointed time' is the divinely set end of the 70-year captivity, a moment of fulfilled prophecy and divine faithfulness that the exiles desperately prayed for.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's forces conquer Jerusalem, and the first wave of Jewish exiles, including members of the royal family and skilled workers, are taken to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 587-586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its temple, scattering the remaining population into exile. This event plunges the people into deep despair, and many psalms reflect this period of national mourning and longing for restoration.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, and the Persian Empire becomes the new ruling power over the Jewish exiles. This shift in power eventually leads to the decree allowing the Jews to return.
538 BC— this verse
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the end of the 70-year exile prophesied by Jeremiah and is the 'appointed time' the psalm speaks of.
516 BC
Completion of the Second Temple
After much opposition and delay, the Second Temple in Jerusalem is completed, symbolizing the physical and spiritual restoration of the Jewish community.
This passage echoes the theme of God's appointed time arriving, proclaiming 'Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended.' It highlights that God's favor and restoration have a divinely set moment.
Jeremiah 29:10This verse directly speaks to the 'set time' mentioned in Psalms 102:13, prophesying that after seventy years in Babylon, God would visit His people and bring them back to Jerusalem. It anchors the psalmist's hopeful declaration in a specific prophetic promise.
Daniel 9:2Daniel, reflecting on the prophecies, understood that the 'appointed time' for Jerusalem's desolation and restoration was drawing near. This shows how the promise in Psalms 102:13 was understood and prayed upon by faithful Israelites during the exile.
Luke 21:24Jesus speaks of the Gentiles trampling Jerusalem until 'the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,' implying a divinely ordained period for Jerusalem's hardship, mirroring the concept of a 'set time' for both distress and divine intervention found in the Psalm.
Galatians 4:4This verse speaks of God sending His Son when 'the fullness of time had come,' underscoring the biblical concept that God operates according to specific, appointed times for His redemptive purposes to unfold.
clarkePsalms 102:13: "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come."
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion - While he is humbled at the footstool of mercy, and earnestly praying for mercy, an answer of peace is given; he is assured, not only that they shall be delivered, but that the time of deliverance is at hand. The set time - the seventy years predicted by Jeremiah, was ended; and God gave him to see that he was ever mindful of his promis…
wesleyPsalms 102:13: "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come."
102:13 The set time - The end of those seventy years which thou hast fixed.
The verse highlights that God's "arising" isn't just about intervention, but a chosen moment of favor. The repetition of "time to favor her" and "the set time" emphasizes that God's mercy operates on His divine timetable, not ours, bringing a specific, promised season of restoration. This reveals that even in deep distress, there's a divinely appointed moment for hope to dawn.
The psalmist is lamenting the desolate state of Zion and his own suffering, feeling abandoned by God. However, this verse marks a shift, as the psalmist receives an assurance that God will indeed intervene, arise from His apparent inaction, and show compassion. This deliverance is not arbitrary but comes at a specific, divinely appointed time, signaling the end of a period of exile and distress.
The psalmist is lamenting the desolate state of Zion and his own suffering, feeling abandoned by God. However, this verse marks a shift, as the psalmist receives an assurance that God will indeed intervene, arise from His apparent inaction, and show compassion. This deliverance is not arbitrary but comes at a specific, divinely appointed time, signaling the end of a period of exile and distress.
"You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come. For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust. Nations will fear the name of the LORD, and a…" — The verse highlights that God's "arising" isn't just about intervention, but a chosen moment of favor. The repetition of "time to favor her" and "the set time" emphasizes that God's mercy operates on…
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Last reviewed October 2026
