Psalm 119:11
About this verseThe psalmist treasures God's word deep within, so that it guards him from sinning against God — the heart of why we memorize Scripture.
Psalm 51:10
After his great sin, David asks God to make his heart pure again and to give him a steady, faithful spirit.
God, create a pure heart for me, and make my spirit new and steady inside me.
Try it now
Say the verse aloud, filling in each blank. Tap a blank for a hint.
What Psalm 51:10 means
David prays this after being confronted over Bathsheba and Uriah — the lowest point of his life. The verb matters: *create*. He does not ask to be tidied up but for something to be made that is not there.
That is what makes it usable by anyone who has genuinely failed. It assumes you cannot fix your own heart, and asks God to do what only he can. Memorised, it gives words to repentance that neither excuses the sin nor despairs of grace.
Related topics
Questions about Psalm 51:10
What does Psalm 51:10 mean?
It is a prayer asking God to make a clean heart — not to improve the old one — and to renew a steadfast spirit within. It admits that inward change is God’s work, not self-improvement.
What is the background of Psalm 51?
It is David’s prayer of repentance after the prophet Nathan confronted him over his sin with Bathsheba and the death of her husband Uriah.