Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

Study notes

The psalmist asks God to create a clean heart in him and renew a steadfast spirit within him.

Explanation

Psalm 51 is a prayer of repentance. The verb "create" is the one used in Genesis 1 for God's creating. The psalmist asks for more than a fresh start: he needs God to make something new in him.

Original language

לֵ֣ב (lev): heart
Hebrew · Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · Strong's H3820A · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Heart.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 51:10, word 1
טָ֭הוֹר (Ta.hor): clean
Hebrew · Adjective, masculine, singular, absolute · Strong's H2889 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Pure, clean.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 51:10, word 2
בְּרָא־ (be.ra'-): to create
Hebrew · Verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular · Strong's H1254A · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Create: the verb used of God's creating in Genesis 1:1.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 51:10, word 3
נָ֝כ֗וֹן (na.Khon): right
Hebrew · Verb, niphal, participle (active), masculine, singular, absolute · Strong's H3559K · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Steadfast, firm.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 51:10, word 7
חַדֵּ֥שׁ (cha.Desh): to renew
Hebrew · Verb, piel, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular · Strong's H2318 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Renew.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 51:10, word 8

Cross-references

Ezekiel 36:26 · Same theme
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.
2 Corinthians 5:17 · Same theme
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
Genesis 1:1 · Related verse
The same verb, "create".

Sources

STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament
Dataset · STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8 · Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Used for: Original language

Original language and places

Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.

Original language (Hebrew)

לֵ֣ב טָ֭הוֹר בְּרָא־לִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְר֥וּחַ נָ֝כ֗וֹן חַדֵּ֥שׁ בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃

לֵ֣בlev“a heart”
Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from לֵב · “heart” · Strong's H3820A
טָ֭הוֹרTa.hor“pure”
Adjective, masculine, singular, absolute · from טָהוֹר · “clean” · Strong's H2889
בְּרָא־be.ra'-“create”
Verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular · from בָּרָא · “to create” · Strong's H1254A
לִ֣יli“for <the> me”
Preposition with article + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from Os1c · “me” · Strong's H9030
אֱלֹהִ֑ים'E.lo.Him“O God”
Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from אֱלֹהִים · “God” · Strong's H0430G
וְר֥וּחַve.Ru.ach“and a spirit”
Conjunction + Noun, feminine, singular, absolute · from רוּחַ · “spirit” · Strong's H7307G
נָ֝כ֗וֹןna.Khon“steadfast”
Verb, niphal, participle (active), masculine, singular, absolute · from כּוּן · “right” · Strong's H3559K
חַדֵּ֥שׁcha.Desh“renew”
Verb, piel, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular · from חָדַשׁ · “to renew” · Strong's H2318
בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃be.kir.Bi“in inner being my”
Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from קֶ֫רֶב · “among” · Strong's H7130G

Prepared by the God & Savior team. Not yet reviewed by an editor.
Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)