“Yes, and what are you to me, Tyre, and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Will you repay me? And if you repay me, I will swiftly and speedily return your repayment on your own head.”

God scoffs at the evil-doers who think He does not see and does not care about the justice in any situation. God lingers and gives time to repent and we think He is neglectful concerning His promises to do right. Tyre and Sidon were rich trading ports but they are as nothing to the Lord, indeed the whole of the nations are like a drop in a bucket. He is not impressed with the regions of the Philistines and they can never repay the price of their sin anyway, no matter how much they seek to give back to God what is His. 

The nations surrounding His people have turned against them, and therefore turned against the Lord. He asks them how they will repay God for His divine judgment and how they will seek recompense for their ill will towards hIs people Israel, who are here indicative of his spiritual people. 

We find ourselves in this situation, where we are in debt to the Lord and can never repay. It is easy to find ourselves in the wrong attitude towards the Lord and to find ourselves against His people, and seeking our own comfort and blessing. 

God is not interested in our effort to pay, but only on the fact that we are repentant and seeking to be forgiven by Him. Only He can pay the debt we owe, and bring us back to God. God is the author of all salvation and we come to Him in faith to receive forgiveness and spiritual life. This is the only recompense He seeks from us, and the only way we can be forgiven. There is no repayment we can give to Him, but our sin and failure and to allow God to change us and make us as we should be.