Psalms 51:17 (LSB)

Passage

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

Nearby Context

Psalms 51:15 O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise.

Psalms 51:16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering.

Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

Psalms 51:18 By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalms 51:19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "sacrifices", "broken", "contrite", "heart", and "despise". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "sacrifices", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "For You do not delight in sacrifice..." into verse 18's "By Your favor do good to Zion...", so "Spirit" and "sacrifices" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "sacrifices" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.