How Long?

Καὶ σὺ, Κύριε, ἕως πότε; Τὴν ἐπὶ μακρῷ χρόνῳ παράτασιν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ μετανοίας ἐμφαίνει Ὁ γὰρ τοι σοφὸς τῶν ψυχῶν ἰατρὸς οὐ παραχρῆμα κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ἐπιστροφὴν ἐπακούει τοῦ δεομένου, ὡς ἐν ἔξει παραμόνῳ γένηται τάγαθοῦ, βεβαίαν δείξας μετάνοιαν· καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἰκανὴν καρτερίαν τὴν ἐν ἐξομολογήσει· φησὶν ἐνέπεισας· καιρῷ δεκτῷ ἐπήκουσὰ σου. Τοῖς γὰρ μὴ ἐξ ἁμαρτίας αὐτὸν ἐπικαλουμένοις ἐρεῖ· Ἔτι λαλοῦντος σου, Ἰδοὺ πάρειμι. Εὐσέβιος ὁ Καισάρειος, Ὑπομνηματα Ἐις Τους Ψαλμους, Ψαλμὸς Ϛ´ Source: Migne PG 23.119c-d

And you, O Lord, how long? 1 He speaks of the long duration of his penance. For indeed the wise physician of souls does not instantly, at the first supplication, attend to the entreaty, and that so that the state of goodness might remain for a long time, which comes from the showing of firm unshakeable penitence. But after a fitting perseverance in confession, He says to the one who pleads, 'At an acceptable time I have heard you.' 2 For to those who do not cry out to Him in a state of sin, He says, 'Even now I am speaking to you, 'Behold I am with you.' 3 Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 6 1 Ps 6.4 2 2 Cor 6.2, Isaiah 49.8 3 Isaiah 58.9