Psalms 51:9–12
The one praying asks God, “A clean heart create for me”
Study it word by word9Hide your face from my sins, and all my iniquities blot out.
10A clean heart create for me, Elohim, and a firm spirit renew within me.
11Do not cast me away from your presence, and your holy spirit do not take from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and let a generous spirit sustain me.
In its context
7Cleanse me from sin with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Make me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you crushed be jubilant.
…
13I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
14Deliver me from bloodguilt, Elohim, Elohim of my salvation; my tongue will shout for joy at your righteousness.
Its words in the original
- הַסְתֵּרhaster· hide
Hide, conceal; be hidden.
- פָּנֶיpane· face, presence
Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".
- חֲטָאָchataa· offense, sin
Offense, sin; its penalty.
- עֲוֺנֹתַavonota· iniquity
Iniquity: wickedness, a serious wrong. The same word covers the wrong, the guilt it leaves and the punishment it brings.
- מְחֵהmeche· wipe out, blot out
Wipe out, blot out, remove completely, as one wipes a written tablet clean.
- לֵבlev· heart
Heart. In Hebrew it is not only the place of feelings: it is the center of the person, where one thinks, decides and wills; also the middle of something.
- טָהוֹרtahor· clean, pure
Pure, clean. In the laws, fit for worship or for eating; it does not refer to hygiene.
- בְּרָאbera· create
Create: make something new exist. In its basic form this verb is used in the Hebrew Bible only when God is the one acting. In other forms it means "clear, cut down" (a forest) or "fatten".
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- רוּחַruach· spirit, wind, breath
The basic idea is "air in motion". The same word can be "wind"; "breath", the air that is breathed and keeps life; or "spirit": the mood or inner strength of a person, or the Spirit of God, his presence and power at work.
- נָכוֹןnachon· be firm, prepare
Be firm, be set, be ready; in the causative form, set up, establish, prepare, make ready.
- חַדֵּשׁchadesh· renew, repair
To renew, to make new again; also to repair or rebuild.
- קִרְבִּkirbi· inside, midst
The inside, what is within; "in the midst of", "within".
- תַּשְׁלִיכֵtashliche· throw
Throw, cast, cast away.
- קָדְשְׁkadsh· holiness, holy place
Holiness: what is set apart for God. Also a holy place or a holy thing; "the holy of holies" is the most holy place.
- תִּקַּחtikach· take
Take: seize, take along, receive. Also "take a wife" (marry).
- הָשִׁיבָhashiva· return, turn back
Turn back, return. Also turn away; in the causative form, bring back, give back, answer. Figuratively, turn back to God (change course). Often adverbial: "again".
- שְׂשׂוֹןseson· joy, gladness
Joy, lively gladness.
- יִשְׁעֶyishe· salvation, deliverance
Salvation, deliverance; the safety and well-being of one who has been rescued. From the same root as "save."
- נְדִיבָהnediva· willing; noble
Willing, ready to give freely; also a noble or prominent person.
- תִסְמְכֵtismche· sustain, lean on
Prop up, sustain, uphold; provide for. Also lean on, lay one's hand on.