God’s Word Translation
Psalms 51:18
18Favor Zion with your goodness. Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Psalms 51:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
- New International Version (NIV)May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Context of Psalms 51:18
16You are not happy with any sacrifice. Otherwise, I would offer one ⌞to you⌟. You are not pleased with burnt offerings. 17The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. O God, you do not despise a broken and sorrowful heart. Favor Zion with your goodness. Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 19Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Young bulls will be offered on your altar.
Read all of Psalms 51Psalms 51:18 word by word
הֵיטִ֣יבָה בִ֭רְצוֹנְךָ אֶת־צִיּ֑וֹן תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה חוֹמ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 51:18
- Psalms 25:22Rescue Israel, O God, from all its troubles!
- Psalms 102:16When the Lord builds Zion, he will appear in his glory.
- Psalms 122:6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper.
- Psalms 137:5If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget ⌞how to play the lyre⌟.
- Isaiah 62:1For Zion’s sake I will not remain silent. For Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until its righteousness shines like the dawn and its salvation burns brightly like a torch.
- Jeremiah 51:50You people who escaped from the sword, leave! Don’t just stand there. Remember the Lord in a distant land, and think about Jerusalem.
- 2 Corinthians 11:28Besides these external matters, I have the daily pressure of my anxiety about all the churches.
- Luke 12:32Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
- Ephesians 1:5Because of his love he had already decided to adopt us through Jesus Christ. He freely chose to do this
- Philippians 2:13It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:11With this in mind, we always pray that our God will make you worthy of his call. We also pray that through ⌞his⌟ power he will help you accomplish every good desire and help you do everything your faith produces.
- Nehemiah 2:17Then I told them, “You see the trouble we’re in. Jerusalem is in ruins, and its gates are burned down. Let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be insulted.”
- Isaiah 58:12Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the foundations of past generations. You will be called the Rebuilder of Broken Walls and the Restorer of Streets Where People Live.
- Daniel 9:25Learn, then, and understand that from the time the command is given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the anointed prince comes, seven sets of seven time periods and sixty-two sets of seven time periods will pass. Jerusalem will be restored and rebuilt with a city square and a moat during the troubles of those times.
- Micah 7:11The day for rebuilding your walls and extending your borders is coming.
- Zechariah 2:5I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the Lord. I will be the glory within it.’
Commentaries on Psalms 51:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion - This and the following verse most evidently refer to the time of the captivity, when the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, and the temple service entirely discontinued; and, consequently, are long posterior to the times of David. Hence it has been concluded that the Psalm was not composed by David, nor in his time and that the title must be that of some other Psalm inadvertently affixed to this. The fourth verse…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion - From himself - his deep sorrow, his conscious guilt, his earnest prayer for pardon and salvation - the psalmist turns to Zion, to the city of God, to the people of the Lord. These, after all, lay nearer to his heart than his own personal salvation; and to these his thoughts naturally turned even in connection with his own deep distress. Such a prayer as is here offered he would also be more naturally led to offer…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-19Verses 16-19 Those who are thoroughly convinced of their misery and danger by sin, would spare no cost to obtain the remission of it. But as they cannot make satisfaction for sin, so God cannot take any satisfaction in them, otherwise than as expressing love and duty to him. The good work wrought in every true penitent, is a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, and sorrow for sin. It is a heart that is tender, and pliable to God's word. Oh that…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-19build up the walls of Jerusalem: These verses were likely added as a prayer for national restoration after the exile (see Psalms 42–43). The entire community in exile shared the feelings expressed in this psalm.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Do good, &c.--Visit not my sin on Thy Church. build ... walls--is to show favor; compare Psa 89:40, for opposite form and idea.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 51:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 51
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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