Psalms 90:13 · Bible study
Psalms 90:13 Commentary: The Cry for God to Return and Relent
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Psalm 90:13's plea for God to relent, a prayer that uses human language to express trust in God's compassion and desire for His return.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A plea for God to turn from wrath and show compassion, grounded in covenant relationship (Exodus 32:12; Deuteronomy 32:36).
- Key words: Return (שׁוּבָה, imperative of H7725) and have compassion (הִנָּחֵם, Niphal imperative of H5162, meaning to be sorry, comfort, or relent).
- Main debate: Whether the language of God 'repenting' implies a change in God's nature or merely describes a change in His outward dealings.
- Theological theme: God's compassion overrides His wrath when His people cry out; anthropomorphic language points to genuine divine response without compromising His immutability.
- Best use: A model for honest lament in times of prolonged suffering, teaches believers to bring their 'how long' directly to God, trusting His character.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Relent, Yahweh! How long? Have compassion on your servants!
KJV King James Version 1769
Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Return, O Jehovah; how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Turn back, O Jehovah, till when? And repent concerning Thy servants.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Return, Jehovah: how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Vuélvete, oh Jehová: ¿ hasta cuándo? y aplácate para con tus siervos.
Retorna, SENHOR! Até quando? Tem compaixão para com teus servos.
Reviens, Éternel!
HERR, kehre doch wieder zu uns und sei deinen Knechten gnädig!
Keer weder, HEERE! tot hoe lange? en het berouwe U over Uw knechten.
Ritorna, o Eterno; fino a quando? e muoviti a pietà dei tuoi servitori.
Nawróćże się, Panie! dokądże odwłaczasz? zlitujże się nad sługami twymi.
на аспида и василиска наступишь; попирать будешь льва и дракона.
耶和華啊，我們要等到 幾時呢？求你轉回，為 你的僕人 後悔。
Come back, O Lord; how long? let your purpose for your servants be changed.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 90:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse is a desperate prayer for God to turn from wrath and show mercy. Barnes connects it to a time of pestilence or judgment, possibly the wilderness wanderings. He notes that God cannot literally repent, but He may act as if He repents by withdrawing judgment. The Cambridge Bible traces the language to Exodus 32:12 and Deuteronomy 32:36, where Moses pleads for God to turn from His fierce anger. Keil & Delitzsch agree that shuvah (return) here asks for the turning away of anger, not for God to physically come back. Clarke emphasizes the nuance of hinnachem (have compassion): it can mean 'be comforted' or 'rejoice over them to do them good,' suggesting God finds satisfaction in mercy rather than punishment. All commentators highlight that the prayer uses anthropomorphic language, God is unchanging, yet He responds to His people's cries by altering His outward dealings. The verse is a cry for relief, rooted in covenant relationship: 'your servants' names the people as those who belong to God and depend on His grace.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Anthropomorphic accommodation view: God is unchanging (Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6); the language of 'repent' describes a change in His outward dealings, not His nature (Barnes, Calvin, Cambridge Bible).
- Covenantal relationship view: The plea draws on Exodus 32:12–14 and Deuteronomy 32:36, where God's compassion is stirred by His people's need and His own promise (Keil & Delitzsch, Clarke).
- Eschatological longing view: Arama (quoted by Gill) interprets 'how long' as a longing for the Messiah's coming; this sees the psalm pointing beyond immediate judgment to ultimate redemption.
What is clear: The verse is a prayer for God to turn from wrath and show compassion to His covenant people, and it assumes that such a prayer is heard and can change the course of events.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Authorship of Psalm 90 | The superscription attributes the psalm to Moses, and many traditions accept this. | Some modern scholars question Mosaic authorship, arguing the language and context fit a later period. Evangelicals and conservatives typically hold to Mosaic origin; others see it as a later composition put in Moses' mouth. |
| The meaning of 'return' (שׁוּבָה) | All traditions see it as asking God to change His attitude or dealings with His people, turning from wrath to mercy. | Some commentators (e.g., Keil & Delitzsch) interpret it specifically as 'turn from anger,' while others (e.g., Gill) allow for a broader sense of returning to gracious presence. Both see it as the same essential plea. |
| God's 'repentance' (הִנָּחֵם) and immutability | Christians agree that God does not change in His essence or purposes. The language is anthropomorphic. | Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions affirm this, but they differ in explaining how prayer 'changes' God's actions. Some emphasize that God ordains prayer as the means by which He accomplishes His unchanging will; others focus on the mystery of divine sovereignty and human freedom. |
| Occasion of the psalm | The psalm reflects a time of national distress and divine judgment, likely the wilderness wandering or a later crisis. | Some hold tightly to the Mosaic setting (the generation that died in the desert); others see it as applicable to any period of corporate suffering, such as the exile. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 90 is the only psalm attributed to Moses, called 'a prayer of Moses, the man of God.' It reflects the wilderness generation, a people under divine sentence because of unbelief. Numbers 14 records God's judgment that that generation would die in the wilderness, and the psalm's themes of brevity and wrath fit that context. Barnes suggests the specific occasion may have been a plague or a sweeping judgment. Keil & Delitzsch point to the 'forty years of wrath' as the backdrop; the people experienced God's anger as an extended night, and they longed for a 'morning' of favor. The prayer language echoes two key moments in Moses' own ministry.
First, Exodus 32:12, 14, where Moses intercedes after the golden calf: 'Turn from your fierce wrath, and turn away from this evil against your people.' God relented. Second, Deuteronomy 32:36, part of Moses' final song: 'Yahweh will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants.' The wording of Psalm 90:13 draws directly from these texts. The phrase 'how long?' (עַד־מָתָי) appears frequently in laments, giving voice to prolonged suffering. The imperative 'return' (שׁוּבָה) with the directive -ah suffix intensifies the plea, the speaker presses God urgently.
Literarily, this verse marks the pivot of the psalm. The first half (verses 1, 12) contemplates God's eternity, human frailty, and divine wrath. Starting at verse 13, the tone shifts to pleading. The prayer moves from acknowledging judgment to asking for restoration. The community names itself 'your servants,' a title of belonging that reminds God of His covenant promises.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 90:13. The Hebrew text is stable. The imperative form shuvah with the directive -ah suffix appears consistently, and the Niphal imperative hinnachem is uncontested. Some ancient versions (Septuagint, Vulgate) render the verbs with similar force, 'turn' and 'be comforted', indicating a faithful transmission of the plea.
Reception History
Psalm 90:13 has been a staple of Christian lament and intercession across traditions. Early church fathers like Augustine read the verse as a cry for Christ's return, interpreting 'how long' eschatologically. In the medieval period, it was used in prayers for deliverance from plague and war. The Reformers, Luther, Calvin, and the Geneva Bible, emphasized God's faithfulness even in wrath, and the prayer became a model for corporate confession and petition. It has been set to music in many hymnals, often paired with verse 12 for themes of mortality and mercy. In contemporary worship, the verse appears in songs that echo the cry 'How long, O Lord?' especially in Advent and Lenten liturgies. Its raw honesty continues to give words to those who suffer without pretending that suffering is easy.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The cry for divine return. "Relent, Yahweh" (שׁוּבָה), Moses asks God to turn back from wrath and toward His people. This is not a change in God's character but a change in His dealings, as Exodus 32 shows.
- The plea for timing. "How long?" (עַד־מָתָי), An honest expression of pain. The psalmist does not deny the length of suffering but brings it before God.
- The appeal to covenant relationship. "Your servants" (עֲבָדֶיךָ), The people ground their plea not in their own goodness but in their belonging to God. They ask for compassion (הִנָּחֵם), that God would be comforted in showing mercy.
Five-point outline
- An abrupt turn. After eleven verses of grim reflection, verse 13 breaks into direct petition. The prayer is the natural response to acknowledging human mortality and divine wrath.
- The imperative of faith. "Return" is a command, yet it is spoken in reverence. Such boldness is possible only within covenant, the people know God hears.
- The question of duration. "How long?" gives voice to the weariness of waiting. It does not accuse God but invites Him to act.
- The repentance of God. "Let it repent thee" uses human language for God's genuine change of course. The verb nacham spans 'comfort,' 'relent,' and 'be moved to pity.'
- The identity of the petitioners. "Your servants" links the prayer to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and to Moses' own intercession. They ask not as strangers but as God's own possession.
Illustration hooks
- A child who has been disciplined and waits for a parent's return from the timeout corner, the silence feels long, but the child knows the parent's love remains.
- A person stuck in a hospital waiting room, watching the clock, whispering "How long?", not doubting the doctor's skill, but aching for news.
- The moment in a marriage after a heated argument when one spouse says, "Can we just start over?", it's a plea for the relationship to return from conflict to connection.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God is unchanging, what does it mean to ask Him to 'return' or 'relent'? Does our prayer actually change God's mind?
- How do I keep praying when God's answer feels delayed, when the suffering has lasted decades?
- What confidence can I have that God will hear a prayer like this if I have failed Him repeatedly?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 90:13 is the heart of a psalm that moves from lament to hope. The community confesses that their suffering is real, but they address it directly to God. They do not demand an explanation; they ask for His presence and mercy. This small group session invites you to sit with the raw honesty of this verse, the cry for God to turn and the trust that He will.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 90:13 aloud. What phrases stand out to you? Why does the psalmist use the word 'return' when God is always present?
- Look at Exodus 32:12-14. How does Moses' prayer for God to 'turn from your fierce wrath' shape your understanding of Psalm 90:13?
- The Hebrew verb hinnachem can mean 'be comforted' or 'relent.' What does it tell us about God that He is described as being comforted by showing mercy? (See also Adam Clarke's comment.)
- Why does the psalmist call the people 'your servants'? How does this title affect the way they approach God?
- When you have prayed 'How long?' in your own life, what was the hardest part, the waiting, the silence, or the uncertainty of God's response?
- Commentators note that this verse echoes Deuteronomy 32:36, where God 'will have compassion on his servants' when their strength is gone. How does God's timing in the Bible shape your trust in His timing today?
- How can this verse become a personal prayer for you right now? What would it mean for you to ask God to 'return' in your current situation?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 32:12 | Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘He brought them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath, and turn away from this evil against your people. |
| Exodus 32:14 | So Yahweh turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people. |
| Deuteronomy 32:36 | For Yahweh will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone, that there is no one remaining, shut up or left at large. |
| Psalms 6:3 | My soul is also in great anguish. But you, Yahweh—how long? |
| Psalms 6:4 | Return, Yahweh. Deliver my soul, and save me for your loving kindness’ sake. |
| Psalms 74:10 | How long, God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever? |
| Psalms 80:14 | Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine, |
| Psalms 89:46 | How long, Yahweh? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke reads the Hebrew word often translated "repent" as meaning "be comforted" or "rejoice." He interprets the plea as asking God to find joy in doing good to His people, taking delight in their salvation rather than their destruction.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes suggests this psalm likely arose during a pestilence in Moses' time, when people were falling under divine wrath. He explains that calling on God to "repent" does not mean God literally changes his mind, only that he may withdraw his judgments and show mercy instead of wrath.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads this psalm as deliberately moving from God’s special grace to Israel, through the misery and judgment all humans face, to a closing prayer for mercy. He sees this order as Moses’ way of giving the faithful comfort before they confront their own frailty.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes that the call for God to "return" draws on two Old Testament passages asking God to turn from His anger. Scripture describes God relenting in human language, but this does not mean He actually regrets or changes His purpose. The plea for restoration rests on the hope that Israel's repentance opens the way for God to turn back to them.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Returne (O Lord, howe long?) and be pacified toward thy seruants.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the psalmist's plea for God to "repent" does not imply any change in God's will or nature. Instead, the request is for a shift in God's outward dealings, turning from anger to comfort. He connects this specifically to the wilderness generation, noting God did not reverse His judgment on them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that the phrase "let it repent" is a bold figure of speech, not describing actual change in God. It is a strong, human way of asking God to alter His actions toward His people, much like the plea in Exodus.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch read this psalm as Moses's wilderness prayer, its language echoing Deuteronomy and Exodus throughout. The plea for God to return asks Him to turn away wrath, not to come back to Israel. Morning here signals a new season of favor after a long night of affliction, with God's work accomplished through Israel's hands as they stand at the threshold of the Promised Land.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Psalm 90 is not two loosely connected sections but a single, unified prayer from its very first word. The opening reflection on human frailty and God's wrath directly prepares the later petitions for wisdom and mercy, all resting on the same confession of the eternal God as the unchanging refuge for sinful, mortal humanity.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry treats numbering our days as a skill that must be learned, not assumed. He insists that only divine teaching can keep us from miscalculating life's brevity, so that the awareness of death drives us not to fear but to genuine wisdom and diligence.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads this as an urgent cry for God to turn back from judgment and show mercy. The plea "How long?" expresses longing for God to relent, while calling on God to change His severe dealings with His people. The emphasis falls on God's personal, relational response.