The complex relationship between God and the Israelites often involves a delicate balance between divine disappointment over hypocrisy and a deep longing for sincere return. In times of crisis, the way the people cry out reveals the tension between their true actions and God's expectations. A subtle duality exists in how the call between God and the people is understood, stemming from a traditional difference between how the text is written and how it is spoken aloud [מנחת שי]. This duality leads to two main interpretations [רד״ק].
From one perspective, God expresses profound disappointment. He had already reached out through the prophets, calling the Israelites His children. The natural expectation was that they would answer and call Him their father, but they remained silent [רד״ק]. God hopes that they will immediately turn away from their bad behavior [רש״י]. Following the harsh punishment of a drought, they should have been awakened to change their ways, yet they actively avoided doing so [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The primary approach among commentators, however, views this as a description of the people's actual behavior during distress, painting a picture of an insincere, self-serving cry. Only when the rains stopped and they were desperate for water did they suddenly turn to God with terms of deep affection. Despite betraying Him and following other gods, they hypocritically used loving expressions simply to gain material relief [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
Yet, there is a deeper layer to their appeal to God as a father, which hints at the very nature of repentance. Repentance is accepted and effective for the Israelites precisely because of this parental dynamic. Unlike a human king, who cannot simply set aside his honor for his servants, a father can easily forgive his children. This relationship gives repentance its unique power for the nation [אדרת אליהו].
When addressing God as a master or great leader [מצודת ציון, רד״ק], the reference to the days of their youth points back to the Exodus from Egypt. This period represents the historical youth of the nation. It was the time when God first chose the Israelites, brought them under His protection, and educated them in His commandments, much like a young student first beginning to learn wisdom [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].