Midras Mazmur 90:13: Midrash Tehillim

This is Psalm of David. How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. In reference to Zechariah 7:13, the Talmud (Sanhedrin 104a) teaches "measure for measure." God said to the people of Israel, "How long will you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?" (Exodus 16:28), "How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me?" (Numbers 14:11), and "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who murmur against Me?" (Numbers 14:27). In response, the people of Israel said, "How long?" four times (Psalm 13:1, 79:5, 89:47, and 90:13). Therefore, God said to the people of Israel, "I will deliver you into the hands of four kingdoms, and you will say 'How long' four times" (Sanhedrin 104a). The phrase "How long" is repeated in Psalm 13:1, expressing David's plea to God to end his suffering and show him mercy.

"To the conductor, a psalm of the sons of Korah. You desired, O Lord, your land. This is what the scripture says (Deuteronomy 11:12): 'a land that the Lord your God seeks; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.' The Holy One, blessed be He, scrutinizes and observes the land until the deeds of Israel please Him and they fulfill the commandments that they were commanded, such as giving tithes, observing the Sabbatical year, and all the commandments that were given to them. At that moment, their deeds please the Holy One, blessed be He. As it is also said (Leviticus 26:34), 'then shall the land be pleased with its Sabbaths.' Therefore, You desired, O Lord, Your land, forgiving the iniquity of Your people, covering all their sins. Who bears the iniquity of the land in which they dwell? As it is said (Isaiah 33:24), 'the people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.' Blessed are the inhabitants of the land of Israel, who have neither sin nor transgression, neither in life nor in death. As it is also said (Micah 7:18-19), 'Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.' Ezekiel also said (Ezekiel 16:42), 'So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet and no longer angry.' Hosea also said (Hosea 14:5), 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him.' The sons of Korah say: 'How long will You say to us (Jeremiah 3:14-22), "Return, O backsliding children"? But You say to us, "Return, O Israel, for I am merciful, and I will not cause My anger to fall on you, for I am merciful" (Psalm 6:5).' What do You say? Will You always be angry with us, even if we repent? Will You not accept us? Should You not repent and give us life, as it is said by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:12-14), 'Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live'?