תהלים, פרק פ״ה, פסוק א׳

The prayer serves as a bridge connecting past salvation with the hope for a permanent, future redemption. The historical background of this plea is rooted in the Babylonian exile, specifically during the era of Ezra and Nehemiah when the exiles returned to the land and began rebuilding the Temple [מלבי״ם]. However, the primary approach among commentators is that this prayer was composed with a prophetic spirit, looking far ahead to address our current, extended exile [אבן עזרא, המאירי, רד״ק].

The connection between the return from Babylon and the current exile stems from the fact that the earlier redemption was fundamentally incomplete. Even though God showed favor to His land, brought the exiles back, and forgave their sins, this salvation was based entirely on temporary mercy. It did not satisfy the attribute of strict justice, which is necessary to guarantee an eternal existence [מלבי״ם].

There were significant limitations to the return to Zion during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. The people remained subjugated to the Persian empire, and their return depended heavily on human effort and the political permission of King Cyrus rather than open miracles from God. Furthermore, the sins of the Israelites during that time were merely covered up and hidden for a short while, rather than being completely erased from reality [מלבי״ם].

Recognizing these deep flaws in the earlier return, the prayer becomes a plea for God to bring about a truly complete redemption. It envisions a future where the Israelites are no longer under the control of human rulers, where the attribute of justice fully supports their salvation, and where sin and divine anger are permanently removed from the world. Only under these conditions can the salvation endure forever [מלבי״ם].