Let me hear joy and gladness, That the bones which you have broken may rejoice.
Parallel translations
- KJV Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
- BSB Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
- NKJV Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
- NASB Let me hear joy and gladness, Let the bones You have broken rejoice.
- NLT Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David longs to hear joy and gladness again, that the bones God has broken may rejoice. He seeks restored joy after the crushing weight of sin.
Overview
Sin had brought David deep anguish, which he pictures as broken bones, and he yearns for God to restore his joy. Forgiveness is not merely legal but brings renewed gladness and inner healing. This anticipates the deep joy of salvation that flows from being reconciled to God through Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Hos 6:1–2“Come, and let us return to Yahweh; for he has torn us to pieces, and he will heal us; he has injured us, and he will bind up our wounds.
- Matt 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- Job 5:17–18“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
- Ps 6:2–3Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint. Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
- Ps 119:81–82My soul faints for your salvation. I hope in your word.
- Ps 126:5–6Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
- Ps 30:11You have turned my mourning into dancing for me. You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness,
- Ps 35:10All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”
- Luke 4:18“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,
- Ps 38:3There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
- Acts 2:37–41Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
- Isa 57:15–18For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
- Ps 13:5But I trust in your loving kindness. My heart rejoices in your salvation.
- Isa 35:10The Yahweh’s ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
- Acts 16:29–34He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 51:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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