Psalms 51:18

18 May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalms 51:18 in Other Translations

18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;

18 Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

18 Make Zion the place you delight in, repair Jerusalem's broken-down walls.

18 In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalms 51:18 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 51:18

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion
This verse, and ( Psalms 51:19 ) , are thought, by a Spanish Rabbi mentioned by Aben Ezra, to have been added by one of the holy men that lived in the time of the Babylonish captivity; though rather it is thought, by the latter, to be written by David, under a spirit of prophecy, concerning, times to come; and so Kimchi thinks they are prophetic of future things; of the destruction of the first and second temple, and of the acceptableness of sacrifices in the times of the Messiah: and by Zion is meant the church, under the Gospel dispensation, ( Hebrews 12:22 ) ( Revelation 14:1 ) ; and the "good" prayed for includes all the good and glorious things spoken of the church of Christ in the latter day; such as an increase of its numbers, the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles, the conversion of the Jews, and the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; the spread of the Gospel all over the world, the purity of Gospel doctrine, worship, and ordinances, the spirituality of religion, the power of godliness, and an abounding of brotherly love, and the like. The "good pleasure" of God, in which this is desired to be done, may denote either (Nwur te) , "the acceptable time"; or "time of good pleasure"; the Gospel dispensation, so called ( Isaiah 49:8 ) ( 2 Corinthians 6:2 ) , in which it has been foretold, and may be expected these things shall be done; or else the cause, source, and spring of them, which is the sovereign good will and pleasure of God, from whence flow all the blessings of grace and goodness;

build thou the walls of Jerusalem;
not literally taken; for these do not appear to have stood in need of being repaired or rebuilt in David's time; but the church of God, which is a spiritual house, built up of lively stones, true believers; which may be said to be more and more built up by an addition of such unto it: it is as a city compact together, whose walls are salvation, and its gates praise, ( Isaiah 26:1 ) ( 60:18 ) ; of the wall of the new Jerusalem, see ( Revelation 21:12 Revelation 21:18 Revelation 21:19 ) .

Psalms 51:18 In-Context

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 102:16; Psalms 147:2; Isaiah 14:32; Isaiah 51:3; Zechariah 1:16-17
• 2. Psalms 69:35; Isaiah 44:26