תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה (tiḇ·neh) in Psalms 51:18: Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה (tiḇ·neh) in Psalms 51:18
Source Word
The BSB+ row for Psalms 51:18 links the English rendering "build up" with תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה, Strong's H1129, and the morphology tag V-Qal-Imperf-2ms.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form matters because it carries a direct petition to God: build up Jerusalem's walls. It helps readers trace Psalm 51 move from personal confession toward restored worship and community life.
How To Communicate It
Explain this as an imperfect used in prayerful petition. That clarifies why English renders it as a request without turning every Hebrew imperfect into a command.
What Not To Say
- Grammar should serve context, not override it.
- Do not make the imperfect label prove more than the sentence supports.
- Do not use the stem label by itself to settle a theological claim.
- Do not treat this occurrence as a complete word study for the whole Hebrew lemma.
- Do not use the grammar profile as a shortcut around the wording and logic of the verse.
What Does The Label Mean?
Hebrew-verb
Verb
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Qal
Imperfect
Second person
Masculine
Singular
The imperfect form presents the action as unfolding, expected, desired, or modal in context; Psalms 51:18 determines how that force is heard.
This form carries the BSB rendering "build up" within Psalms 51:18. Psalm 51 gives language for confession, cleansing, restoration, renewed joy, and renewed praise before God.
What The Form Does In This Verse
The petition rendered "build up" in Psalms 51:18
The imperfect form belongs to the prayer asking God to do good to Zion and build Jerusalem's walls.
It presents the requested action addressed to God: build up the walls of Jerusalem.
It does not make the imperfect label mean only future time, and it does not turn the building request into the whole message of Psalm 51 apart from repentance and restoration.
How Much The Form Matters Here
High: The form carries a prayerful petition that moves Psalm 51 from personal restoration toward restored worship in Zion.
Qal imperfect second masculine singular used as petition. addresses God with the requested action. Attached to the request that God build up Jerusalem's walls. Governed by the prayer asking God to do good to Zion. The imperfect has petitionary force in this prayer context and should not be flattened into simple future time.
What is the psalmist asking God to do? He asks God to build up Jerusalem's walls as part of restored worship.
Direct: The form directly supports the request force of "build up" in this prayer line.
Hebrew imperfect can express desired or modal force when context calls for it. The second masculine singular form addresses God in the prayer, but the verse supplies the theological setting.
Imperfect always means future: The imperfect should be read from the prayer context, where it functions as a petition. grammar alone proves restoration theology: The form carries the request; Psalm 51 supplies the restoration frame.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
The BSB+ row for Psalms 51:18 links the English rendering "build up" with תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה, Strong's H1129, and the morphology tag V-Qal-Imperf-2ms.
H1129 is represented here by the lemma בָּנָה. In this occurrence, the public guide is limited to the BSB rendering "build up" rather than every possible gloss of the entry.
The Qal imperfect second masculine singular is addressed to God in a prayer request: build up the walls of Jerusalem. In context, the imperfect has petitionary or desired force rather than merely predicting future action.
Psalm 51 gives language for confession, cleansing, restoration, renewed joy, and renewed praise before God.
The form fits Scripture's language of confession, mercy, cleansing, restored joy, and renewed obedience.
When teaching Psalms 51:18, show that the form is part of a prayer asking God to restore and build up, not a bare prediction detached from the plea.
Do not derive a full word study, grammar doctrine, or restoration theology from V-Qal-Imperf-2ms alone. The form identifies the occurrence-level petition.