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

PSALMS 51:18KJV
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Psalms 51:18 (KJV)

What does Psalms 51:18 mean?

Psalms 51:18 is a prayer asking God to show kindness and favor to Zion and to restore and protect Jerusalem by building up its walls. The verse expresses a desire for God’s goodness to be shown to the community, not just the individual.

King David is speaking to God after his sin with Bathsheba, asking not only for personal forgiveness but also for the well-being of Jerusalem. The mention of Zion and Jerusalem points to the heart of Israel’s spiritual and national life, showing David’s concern for the whole people and city, especially after a time of moral failure.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 51:18

  • "good" (יָטַב, yatav): This word means to do good, to be pleasing, or to show favor. David is asking God to act kindly and beneficially toward Zion, not just in a general sense but in a way that brings real help.
  • "pleasure" (רָצוֹן, ratzon): This word often refers to delight or goodwill. David is appealing to God’s own desire or willingness to bless, not just a sense of duty.
  • "Zion" (צִיּוֹן, tziyon): This is a specific name for the hill in Jerusalem where the temple stood, often representing the whole city or even the people of God.
  • "build" (בָּנָה, banah): This means to construct or rebuild. The request is for God to restore or strengthen Jerusalem, which may hint at a time of trouble or vulnerability.
  • "walls" (חוֹמָה, chomah): Refers to the protective barriers of a city. Asking God to build the walls is a plea for security and stability for Jerusalem.
  • "Jerusalem" (יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם, yerushalayim): The central city for Israel’s worship and identity, highlighting the communal focus of the prayer.

Why Psalms 51:18 matters

  • This verse shows that David’s repentance is not just about himself; he is concerned for the spiritual and physical well-being of the whole community.
  • The prayer connects personal forgiveness to the health of the nation, suggesting that individual actions can affect the wider community.
  • The verse sets up the closing thought of the psalm, where true worship and restoration are linked to God’s favor on His people and their city.

Where else these words appear

“pleasure” Hebrew H7522 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
  • Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
  • Proverbs 14:9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

“good” Hebrew H3190 · used in 102 verses

  • Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
  • Deuteronomy 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
  • Psalms 36:3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.

“walls” Hebrew H2346 · used in 123 verses

  • Exodus 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
  • Nehemiah 1:3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
  • Isaiah 36:11 Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.