18In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Focused Passage
Psalms 51:18-19
Create in Me a Pure Heart Through Mercy and Confession
Psalm 51 begins with David's plea for mercy according to God's steadfast love and abundant compassion. It then moves through direct confession, acknowledgment of God's righteous judgment, and admission of inward corruption. The prayer intensifies into requests for cleansing, joy, a clean heart, a renewed spirit, and preservation in God's presence. Restored mercy becomes restored witness and praise, and the psalm concludes by linking broken-hearted repentance to Zion's welfare and acceptable worship.
Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources
Study Helps
References and Original Words
Verse 18
Cross-references
Original words
In Your good pleasureבִ֭רְצוֹנְךָH7522Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markercause Zionצִיּ֑וֹןH6726Noun - proper - feminine singularto prosperהֵיטִ֣יבָהH3190Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularbuild upתִּ֝בְנֶ֗הH1129Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthe wallsחוֹמ֥וֹתH2346Noun - feminine plural constructof Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃H3389Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 19
Cross-references
Original words
Thenאָ֤זH227AdverbYou will delightתַּחְפֹּ֣ץH2654Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularin righteousצֶ֭דֶקH6664Noun - masculine singularsacrificesזִבְחֵי־H2077Noun - masculine plural constructin wholeוְכָלִ֑ילH3632Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singularburnt offeringsעוֹלָ֣הH5930Noun - feminine singularthenאָ֤זH227Adverbbullsפָרִֽים׃H6499Noun - masculine pluralwill be offeredיַעֲל֖וּH5927Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralonעַל־H5921PrepositionYour altarמִזְבַּחֲךָ֣H4196Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular