Psalm 51:11 kjv
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psalm 51:11 nkjv
Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 51:11 niv
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 51:11 esv
Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 51:11 nlt
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don't take your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 51 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 16:14 | "Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul..." | Saul lost the Spirit due to disobedience. |
| Gen 6:3 | "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever..." | God's Spirit may withdraw due to persistent sin. |
| Ps 27:8 | "My heart says of you, 'Seek His face!' Your face, Lord, I will seek." | The righteous earnestly desire God's presence. |
| Ps 16:11 | "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy..." | Fullness of life and joy found in God's presence. |
| Ps 43:3 | "Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me..." | A prayer for God's guiding light and truth. |
| Is 59:2 | "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God..." | Sin separates people from God's fellowship. |
| Rom 8:9-11 | "Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him..." | Believers in Christ permanently indwelled by the Spirit. |
| 1 Cor 6:19 | "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you..." | Believer's body is the dwelling place of the Spirit. |
| Eph 4:30 | "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." | Sin can grieve the Spirit, hindering fellowship. |
| John 14:16-17 | "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper... Spirit of truth..." | Christ promises the Spirit's abiding presence to believers. |
| John 16:7 | "It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come..." | Spirit's coming depended on Christ's ascension. |
| Acts 2:38 | "Repent and be baptized... for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." | The Holy Spirit is given upon repentance and faith in Christ. |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | "And I will give you a new heart... and a new spirit I will put within you... I will put my Spirit within you..." | New Covenant promise of inner transformation and permanent indwelling Spirit. |
| Jer 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make... I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts..." | God's law inscribed within through the new covenant, linked to the Spirit. |
| Heb 10:16 | "This is the covenant that I will make... I will put my laws on their hearts..." | New Covenant promises (from Jer 31:33) reiterated in NT, linked to new heart. |
| 2 Cor 5:8 | "Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord." | The ultimate desire for God's unmediated presence in eternity. |
| Phil 2:13 | "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." | God's Spirit enables believers to act according to His will. |
| Isa 63:10 | "But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy..." | Grieving the Spirit leads to consequences. |
| Zec 4:6 | "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." | God's work is accomplished by His Spirit, not human strength. |
| Gal 5:16 | "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." | The Spirit empowers believers to overcome sin and live righteously. |
| 2 Tim 1:14 | "Guard the good deposit entrusted to you—with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us." | The Holy Spirit indwells and empowers for spiritual guardianship. |
| Mt 1:23 | "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" | God with us, signifying His presence among His people through Christ. |
Psalm 51 verses
Psalm 51 11 Meaning
Psalm 51:11 expresses David's fervent plea to God not to withdraw His sustaining presence or His Holy Spirit. Having confessed his grievous sin, David recognized that the most severe consequence was not earthly punishment but separation from God and the loss of the divine anointing that empowered his life and reign. It highlights his understanding that true spiritual vitality and effectiveness derive solely from intimate fellowship with God through His Spirit, and that sin fundamentally jeopardizes this relationship.
Psalm 51 11 Context
Psalm 51 is a raw, profound prayer of repentance penned by King David after he was confronted by the prophet Nathan regarding his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah (recorded in 2 Sam 11-12). The psalm reflects David's deep conviction of sin, not just against Bathsheba or Uriah, but fundamentally against God Himself (v. 4). David understood that his transgressions had a direct impact on his spiritual standing before the Holy One. His petition in verse 11 specifically reveals his greatest fear: that his sin would cause God to withdraw His unique favor, intimate fellowship, and enabling Spirit—a terrifying prospect given his role as king and God's anointed leader, reminiscent of how the Spirit departed from Saul (1 Sam 16:14). Culturally, for a king, the loss of divine favor was not just personal; it portended potential political instability and national weakness, as the king's legitimacy and strength were tied to God's presence.
Psalm 51 11 Word analysis
- Do not cast me away (אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי - al-tashlikheini): The Hebrew verb shalach (שָׁלַח), "to send away," in the Hiphil stem used here means "to cast off, banish, reject." David fears a definitive, irreversible dismissal from God's sight and favor, akin to spiritual expulsion. This goes beyond mere discipline; it speaks of utter abandonment. It reflects the understanding that God's justice could justly lead to complete spiritual disinheritance.
- from your presence (מִלְּפָנֶיךָ - mil-faneikha): Literally, "from before your face" or "from your face." Panim (פָּנִים) refers to the face, often denoting immediate access, intimate fellowship, and favorable regard. To be cast from God's presence signifies the loss of personal access, favor, and the protective, life-giving power associated with His nearness. It is a profound cry for sustained communion.
- and do not take (וְרוּחַ אַל־תִּקַּח - ve-ruach al-tiqach): The verb laqach (לָקַח), "to take" or "to seize," expresses the active removal of something given. David begs that God not reclaim what He had previously bestowed, especially considering God's prior anointing of David (1 Sam 16:13).
- your Holy Spirit (קָדְשְׁךָ - kodshekha): This is a significant Old Testament reference to "Holy Spirit." Ruach (רוּחַ) means "spirit," "wind," or "breath," often conveying the dynamic, life-giving power of God. Qodesh (קֹדֶשׁ) means "holiness" or "set-apartness." The "Holy Spirit" here is understood as God's divine presence actively empowering, guiding, and enabling David in his life and kingship. David understood that his unique relationship with God and his effectiveness as king were not just due to his human abilities but due to the enabling power of God's Spirit operating in and through him.
- from me (מִמֶּנִּי - mimeni): This reiterates the intensely personal nature of the plea. David's entire identity, purpose, and capability hinged on the indwelling presence and active work of the Spirit.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "Do not cast me away from your presence": This phrase expresses the deepest dread of spiritual abandonment. It is not about avoiding physical death or public shame, but about maintaining the sacred, life-sustaining relationship with God. This signifies a separation from the very source of life and truth, which for David would mean spiritual death.
- "and do not take your Holy Spirit from me": This parallel request reveals David's understanding of how God's presence manifested and empowered him. For kings in Israel, the Spirit of the Lord was crucial for discernment, strength, and success. Losing the Holy Spirit would not only signify divine displeasure but also the forfeiture of his divine mandate and his ability to effectively lead Israel. It is an acknowledgment that his own strength and wisdom were insufficient without God's empowering Spirit.
Psalm 51 11 Bonus section
- OT "Spirit Upon" vs. NT "Spirit Indwelling": In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit often "came upon" individuals (like judges, prophets, kings) for specific tasks and periods. The fear of the Spirit departing was a real concern (as with Saul, 1 Sam 16:14). David's prayer reflects this Old Testament understanding. However, in the New Covenant established through Christ's death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit is "poured out" and permanently indwells every true believer (Acts 2, Rom 8:9-11). This fundamental difference means that a New Covenant believer cannot lose the Holy Spirit entirely. Yet, unconfessed sin can "grieve" (Eph 4:30) or "quench" (1 Thess 5:19) the Spirit, impacting our experience of His presence and power, hindering effective fellowship and spiritual fruitfulness.
- The Polemic against Pagan Beliefs: In the Ancient Near East, deities were often localized, and their favor was seen as transactional or tied to specific rituals. David's prayer emphasizes that true communion with the Living God requires inner purification and a dependent relationship with His Spirit, going beyond mere external appeasement. His plea highlights the personal and moral nature of God's presence, rather than a mechanistic or magical one.
- God's Discipline vs. Abandonment: David's deep distress was not merely about punishment (though he welcomed God's just discipline) but about the profound horror of losing God's enabling and comforting presence entirely. He distinguished between suffering consequences and utter divine abandonment. God's faithfulness, though expressed in discipline, aims at restoration, not ultimate severance, for those who truly repent.
Psalm 51 11 Commentary
Psalm 51:11 encapsulates David's profound understanding that genuine spiritual life is predicated upon the unhindered presence of God and the active work of His Holy Spirit. Following his monumental sin, David's paramount fear was not just the consequence of punishment but the ultimate consequence of broken fellowship with his Creator. He knew that for one to be truly alive spiritually, for one to fulfill their purpose, they must have God's Spirit empowering them. For David, this was acutely significant given his anointing as king. Losing the Spirit would render him incapable of leading God's people. This petition contrasts with a merely ceremonial understanding of religion; David understood God desires truth in the inward being (Ps 51:6). His repentance was deeply personal and aimed at restoring his vital spiritual connection.For believers today, while the Holy Spirit's indwelling is permanent under the New Covenant (Rom 8:9), this verse still holds relevance. Persistent, unconfessed sin, though it cannot cause God to take away His Spirit entirely from a true believer (due to sealing until redemption, Eph 4:30), can deeply grieve the Spirit, thereby hindering fellowship, quenching His power in our lives, and diminishing our spiritual sensitivity and effectiveness. David's prayer serves as a timeless model for those who, having stumbled, earnestly seek restoration of vibrant, intimate communion with the Lord, prioritizing the spiritual relationship above all else.
- Practical usage examples: When we acknowledge sin, like David, we should desire not just forgiveness of guilt, but a renewed sense of God's presence and His empowering Spirit, seeking restored fellowship. If our spiritual lives feel barren, this verse encourages us to examine our hearts and repent, yearning for the freshness of the Spirit.