DAVID Letterman’s return to “Late Show” Monday night after a four-week absence paid handsome dividends.

Monday’s “Late Show” notched a 5.3 metered-market rating – the show’s second-highest rating of the season behind the Feb. 17 show featuring “Dr. Phil” McGraw.

Letterman was back for the first time since Feb. 25, when a bout with shingles knocked him off the show.

Monday’s “Late Show” was 29 percent higher than its Monday-night season average – and 43 percent higher than its Monday-Friday average.

Those “Late Show” numbers also helped Craig Kilborn’s “Late Late Show” at 12:35 a.m., which delivered a 2.1 overnight rating – 24 percent higher than its Monday season average and 31 percent higher than its Monday-Friday average.