51:17 The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit 1 –
O God, a humble and repentant heart 2 you will not reject. 3
51:18 Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her! 4
Fortify 5 the walls of Jerusalem! 6
51:19 Then you will accept 7 the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings;
then bulls will be sacrificed 8 on your altar. 9
1 tn Heb “a broken spirit.”
2 tn Heb “a broken and crushed heart.”
3 tn Or “despise.”
4 tn Heb “do what is good for Zion in your favor.”
5 tn Or “Build.” The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
6 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
7 tn Or “desire, take delight in.”
8 tn Heb “then they will offer up bulls.” The third plural subject is indefinite.
9 sn Verses 18-19 appear to reflect the exilic period, when the city’s walls lay in ruins and the sacrificial system had been disrupted.