Psalms 51:10

Create in me Rather, Create me, i.e. for me. The word is used of the creative operation of God, bringing into being what did not exist before: and so in the parallel line renewshould be rather make new (Vulg. innovabetter than Jer. renova). It is not the restoration of what was there before that he desires, but a radical change of heart and spirit. A right spiritshould rather be a stedfast or constant spirit (Psalms 57:7; Psalms 78:37; Psalms 112:7), fixed and resolute in its allegiance to God, unmoved by the assaults of temptation. Such a clean heart and stedfast spirit, the condition of fellowship with God (Matthew 5:8), the spring of a holy life, can only come from the creative, life-giving power of God. Cp. the prophetic promises in Jeremiah 24:7; Jeremiah 31:33; Jeremiah 32:39; Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 18:31; Ezekiel 36:26; and see 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:24.