Psalms 90:13 Meaning and Explanation
“Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Psalmist begs God to return and relent—to cease His wrath and show compassion to His people.
The Context of Psalms 90:13
The psalmist's plea for God to end His wrath and return with mercy.
What Does Psalms 90:13 Mean?
The word 'Return' echoes verse 3 but now it is God who is asked to return, not humanity returning to dust. The question 'how long?' expresses anguish under God's absence and wrath—an absence that seems to stretch indefinitely. The servant has been patient, enduring, waiting, but now asks how much longer this must continue.
'Let it repent thee' means God should turn from wrath and turn toward compassion. The term is not that God was wrong to be angry—the psalm has established the reality of sin—but that the time for wrath has lasted its appointed season and the time for mercy should come. The servants ask not that God forget their sins but that He respond with restoration.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 90:13
What does Psalms 90:13 mean?
Psalmist begs God to return and relent—to cease His wrath and show compassion to His people.
What is the context of Psalms 90:13?
The psalmist's plea for God to end His wrath and return with mercy.