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See the exact Psalms 51:18 form guide with morphology, clause role, and guardrails.
OpenForm Insight
How הֵיטִ֣יבָה Works in Psalms 51:18
A focused form insight on Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular in Psalms 51:18.
Focused term הֵיטִ֣יבָה hê·ṭî·ḇāh H3190 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Psalms 51:18 - BSB
In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
The Question
How does הֵיטִ֣יבָה function in Psalms 51:18?
Short Answer
הֵיטִ֣יבָה is a Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular in Psalms 51:18. The form helps readers hear Psalm 51 moving from personal restoration toward communal restoration. It is a prayer for God to do good concerning Zion, not a formula for generic prosperity.
What the Form Is Doing
הֵיטִ֣יבָה appears in Psalms 51:18 as a Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular. It presents a directed appeal to God for Zion's good, with the third feminine singular suffix tied to the feminine object in the verse's Zion language.
The Hifil imperative is addressed to God in prayer, asking him to do good concerning Zion. The feminine singular suffix is read within the verse's Zion language, while the prayer context keeps the imperative as dependent appeal rather than control over God.
Why It Matters for Interpretation
The form helps readers hear Psalm 51 moving from personal restoration toward communal restoration. It is a prayer for God to do good concerning Zion, not a formula for generic prosperity.
The form carries a prayer appeal for Zion's good in Psalm 51's restoration movement.
Translation Effect
The Hifil imperative and suffix directly support the verbal request rendered "to prosper" in this verse.
The form guide should support the public Bible reading, not replace it with a private rendering.
What It Does Not Prove
Do not derive a full word study, grammar doctrine, or prosperity theology from V-Hifil-Imp-ms | 3fs alone. The form identifies the occurrence-level prayer appeal.
Grammar should serve context, not override it.
Do not make the imperative label prove more than the sentence supports.
Evidence from the Form Guide
The BSB+ row for Psalms 51:18 links the English rendering "to prosper" with הֵיטִ֣יבָה, Strong's H3190, and the parsing label V-Hifil-Imp-ms | 3fs.
When teaching Psalms 51:18, use this form to show that restoration prayer moves from personal confession toward Zion's good, while guarding against turning "prosper" into a detached promise of success.
What It Does Not Prove
- Do not derive a full word study, grammar doctrine, or prosperity theology from V-Hifil-Imp-ms | 3fs alone. The form identifies the occurrence-level prayer appeal.
- Grammar should serve context, not override it.
- Do not make the imperative label prove more than the sentence supports.
- Do not use the stem label by itself to settle a theological claim.