Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just a cry for God to come back; it's a plea for Him to "turn" from His fierce anger and "have pity," like Moses begging God to relent from His judgment. The Psalmist sees God's "repentance" not as a change in God's nature, but a change in His dealings – from wrath to mercy for His people.
Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!
English Standard Version (ESV)
After meditating on the fleeting nature of human life and the devastating consequences of God's anger, the psalmist cries out on behalf of the suffering community. He pleads for God to turn back from his wrath and show compassion, desperately asking how long this judgment will continue. This prayer anticipates a turning point, where God's favor will be restored to His people and bring gladness.
The psalmist cries, 'Return, O LORD!' But what does it mean for God to 'return'? It’s not that God ever left, but that His presence and favor can feel absent.
When the psalmist pleads for God to "Return," he's not asking God to physically come back. God is always present, everywhere. Instead, this is a prayer for God to turn back towards His people in mercy and favor. It's a cry to restore the relationship that feels broken or distant. Think of it like a parent turning their face away in disappointment – the child pleads for them to turn back and smile again. The Hebrew word here often implies a turning away from anger or judgment towards compassion.
This plea arises from a deep sense of suffering and the feeling of God's absence. It's a recognition that true well-being and life only come when God's presence is felt and His favor is active.
The repeated question, 'How long?' echoes through the Psalms. It's the cry of a soul stretched thin by hardship, wondering when relief will finally come.
The phrase "How long?" isn't just impatience; it’s a raw expression of anguish under sustained affliction. The commentators point out that this psalm, likely written by Moses, reflects a time of intense suffering for God's people, perhaps during their wilderness wanderings or a plague. The feeling is that God's anger, or at least His disciplinary actions, have gone on for an extended, unbearable period.
This question is a powerful reminder that Scripture doesn't sanitize pain. It acknowledges the reality of suffering and gives voice to our deepest cries. It’s a plea for God to intervene and bring His promised deliverance, not just for the individual, but for the community – 'your servants.' There's a sense that the suffering is collective, and the relief sought is also communal, for God's glory and the hope of future generations.
Ask a follow-up
The Bible says God might 'repent.' But God doesn't make mistakes or change His mind like we do. So what's really going on here?
When the psalmist asks God to 'repent,' he's using figurative language to express a deep desire for God to change His actions towards them. God, in His perfect nature, doesn't experience regret or change His mind in the way humans do. He is immutable. However, Scripture often describes God acting 'as if' He repents, meaning He changes His dealings with humanity based on their response or His own merciful plan.
Here, 'let it repent thee concerning thy servants' means: Withdraw Your judgments, turn away from Your severe actions, and show Your compassion. It's an appeal for God to be 'comforted' over His people, not in the sense of feeling sad for Himself, but in the sense of rejoicing over their salvation and well-being. It’s about God acting in mercy, demonstrating His love and faithfulness to His covenant people.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. It signifies His eternal existence, faithfulness to His promises, and His redemptive relationship with His people.
nacham · Hebrew Verb
Refers to compassion, grace, and relenting from judgment. It is the plea for God to act mercifully toward those who are in a covenant relationship with Him.
This prayer in Psalm 90 is deeply rooted in the Israelite experience of the wilderness. It's a cry from a community facing prolonged hardship and divine displeasure, yearning for God's return to favor after a generation of wandering.
c. 1446 BC
Israel's Wilderness Wanderings Begin
After a generation spent in Egypt and a period of harsh slavery, the Israelites were led out by Moses. However, due to their disobedience and lack of faith, they faced 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
c. 1446-1406 BC— this verse
Generations of Divine Displeasure
This extended period in the wilderness was marked by God's judgment and displeasure due to the people's repeated rebellions and unfaithfulness, a stark contrast to His initial deliverance.
c. 1406 BC
Entry into the Promised Land
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites finally crossed the Jordan River and began the conquest of Canaan, marking a new phase after the wilderness generation had passed away.
This passage shows Moses appealing to God to 'turn from your fierce anger' and 'relent from sending disaster,' echoing the cry in Psalm 90:13 for God to 'return' and 'have pity'.
Deuteronomy 32:36Here, God declares, 'The LORD will vindicate his servants and have compassion on them,' which parallels the plea in Psalm 90:13 for God to turn and show compassion to His servants.
Psalm 6:4This psalm contains a similar desperate plea, 'Turn, O LORD, how long will you wait? Have compassion on your servants,' directly mirroring the sentiment and phrasing of Psalm 90:13.
Psalm 80:4The psalmist cries out, 'O LORD God of hosts, how long will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people?', reflecting the deep anguish and longing for God's return expressed in Psalm 90:13.
bensonPsalms 90:13: "Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants."
Psalm 90:13-17 . Return, O Lord — To us in mercy. How long? — Understand, wilt thou be angry? Or, will it be ere thou return to us? Let it repent thee, &c. — Of thy severe proceedings against us. O satisfy us early with thy mercy — That is, speedily, or seasonably, before we be utterly consumed. Make us glad, &c. — Our afflictions have been sharp and long, let not our prosperity be small and short. Let thy…
clarkePsalms 90:13: "Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants."
Return, O Lord, how long? - Wilt thou continue angry with us for ever? Let it repent thee - הנחם hinnachem, be comforted, rejoice over them to do them good. Be glorified rather in our salvation than in our destruction.
This isn't just a cry for God to come back; it's a plea for Him to "turn" from His fierce anger and "have pity," like Moses begging God to relent from His judgment. The Psalmist sees God's "repentance" not as a change in God's nature, but a change in His dealings – from wrath to mercy for His people.
After meditating on the fleeting nature of human life and the devastating consequences of God's anger, the psalmist cries out on behalf of the suffering community. He pleads for God to turn back from his wrath and show compassion, desperately asking how long this judgment will continue. This prayer anticipates a turning point, where God's favor will be restored to His people and bring gladness.
After meditating on the fleeting nature of human life and the devastating consequences of God's anger, the psalmist cries out on behalf of the suffering community. He pleads for God to turn back from his wrath and show compassion, desperately asking how long this judgment will continue. This prayer anticipates a turning point, where God's favor will be restored to His people and bring gladness.
"Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!" — This isn't just a cry for God to come back; it's a plea for Him to "turn" from His fierce anger and "have pity," like Moses begging God to relent from His judgment. The Psalmist sees God's "repentanc…
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Last reviewed October 2026