Bible Strands
Psalms 51:12
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David, in the aftermath of the Bathsheba–Uriah affair, addressing God directly. He has just begged to be kept in God's presence (v. 11) and now asks for the inner life that presence should produce.
The words — נְדִבָה (nəḏîḇāh), "willing" or "generous," elsewhere describes a person of noble, freely-giving character; here it modifies "spirit," asking for a disposition that is not coerced but freely offered. תִסְמְכֵנִי (tisəməḵēnî), "you will sustain me," comes from סָמַךְ, the physical act of propping up something that has fallen.
The thread — The joy-of-salvation motif recurs in Psalms 13:5 and Isaiah 61:10; the divine sustaining language parallels Isaiah 41:10.
Why it lands — The psalmist does not ask for circumstances to change but for an internal state—joy and a willing spirit—that he cannot manufacture himself. The reader is pressed to see that this joy is a gift to be received, not a feeling to be forced.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
- Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.
- Isaiah 61:10 I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Luke 1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
- 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
- Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
- Psalms 119:116 Sustain me as You promised, that I may live; let me not be ashamed of my hope.
- Psalms 35:9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.
- Jeremiah 31:9 They will come with weeping, and by their supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk beside streams of waters, on a level path where they will not stumble. For I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is My firstborn.”
- Psalms 119:133 Order my steps in Your word; let no sin rule over me.