Psalms 40:6

KJV

¶ Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

KJV (with Strong's)

Sacrifice {H2077} and offering {H4503} thou didst not desire {H2654}{H8804)}; mine ears {H241} hast thou opened {H3738}{H8804)}: burnt offering {H5930} and sin offering {H2401} hast thou not required {H7592}{H8804)}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Sacrifices and grain offerings you don't want; burnt offerings and sin offerings you don't demand. Instead, you have given me open ears;

Berean Standard Bible

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require.

American Standard Version

Sacrifice and offering thou hast no delight in; Mine ears hast thou opened: Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 40:6 articulates a profound truth about God's ultimate desire, declaring that He does not primarily seek ritualistic sacrifices and offerings, but rather a heart made receptive to His will. This verse highlights the insufficiency of outward religious observance apart from inward obedience, setting a foundational principle that anticipates a more perfect and final act of devotion and atonement—a principle that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the obedient life and atoning sacrifice of the Messiah.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 40 is a composite psalm, opening with a heartfelt song of thanksgiving (vv. 1-10) for God's deliverance from a desperate situation, then transitioning into a prayer for continued help against enemies (vv. 11-17). Verse 6 marks a significant theological pivot within the thanksgiving section. After recounting God's faithfulness in lifting him out of the "horrible pit" ([Psalms 40:2](/psalms/40-2 "Psalms 40:2 - God's Deliverance")), the psalmist moves from personal testimony to a universal declaration about the nature of true worship. This verse serves as the theological bedrock for the psalmist's subsequent commitment in [Psalms 40:7-8](/psalms/40-7 "Psalms 40:7-8 - The Psalmist's Willing Obedience"), where he proclaims his delight in doing God's will and having God's law within his heart, contrasting this internal devotion with the external sacrifices mentioned in verse 6.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical setting of Psalm 40 is generally attributed to David, a king and prophet deeply familiar with the Mosaic Law and the elaborate sacrificial system established by God for Israel (e.g., [Leviticus/1](/leviticus/1 "Leviticus 1 - The Burnt Offering")). In ancient Israel, sacrifices were central to worship, atonement, and covenant renewal. However, throughout Israel's history, there was a persistent tension between merely performing the rituals and possessing a sincere, obedient heart. Prophets frequently condemned the people for offering sacrifices while neglecting justice, righteousness, and true devotion (e.g., [1 Samuel 15:22](/1_samuel/15-22 "1 Samuel 15:22 - Obedience is Better than Sacrifice"), [Isaiah 1:11-17](/isaiah/1-11 "Isaiah 1:11-17 - God's Rejection of Empty Ritual"), [Amos 5:21-24](/amos/5-21 "Amos 5:21-24 - God Desires Justice, Not Just Sacrifices")). Psalms 40:6 echoes this prophetic critique, emphasizing that God's ultimate desire transcends mere ritual, pointing instead to a deeper, personal relationship rooted in obedience.

* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several major themes. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Obedience Over Ritual**, asserting that God values a willing heart and obedient spirit more than outward religious observances. This principle is foundational to understanding true worship throughout Scripture. Secondly, it highlights the **Inadequacy of Animal Sacrifices** as a final solution for sin. While divinely ordained for a specific purpose, these sacrifices were temporary and symbolic, unable to truly take away sin or fully satisfy God's righteous demands, thus pointing to a greater, ultimate sacrifice. Thirdly, the phrase "mine ears hast thou opened" introduces the theme of a **Prepared Heart and Willingness to Obey**, signifying a deep, personal receptivity to divine instruction and a commitment to doing God's will. This concept is often understood prophetically, foreshadowing the perfect obedience of the Messiah, as explicitly referenced in [Hebrews 10:5-7](/hebrews/10-5 "Hebrews 10:5-7 - Christ's Obedience Fulfills the Law").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Sacrifice and offering (Hebrew, _zevach uminchah'_):** These terms represent the two primary categories of Israelite offerings. _Zevach_ (sacrifice) typically refers to animal sacrifices, often involving the shedding of blood and a communal meal. _Minchah_ (offering) usually denotes a grain or meal offering, a bloodless gift. By listing both, the psalmist covers the broad spectrum of mandated ritual worship. The declaration that God "didst not desire" them does not mean they were inherently bad or useless, but that they were not God's *ultimate* desire or end in themselves, especially when offered without a corresponding heart of obedience.
* **Mine ears hast thou opened (Hebrew, _karah oznaim'_):** This idiomatic Hebrew phrase literally means "dug ears" or "bored ears." It carries a dual resonance. Primarily, it signifies God making the psalmist's ears attentive and receptive to divine commands, implying a profound spiritual readiness to hear and obey God's voice. Secondarily, some scholars see an allusion to the practice described in [Exodus 21:6](/exodus/21-6 "Exodus 21:6 - The Permanent Slave"), where a slave who chose to remain with his master had his ear pierced (bored) as a sign of perpetual, willing service. This interpretation emphasizes a lifelong, voluntary commitment to God's will. Crucially, the Septuagint (LXX), the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, renders this phrase as "a body hast thou prepared me," an interpretation adopted and expounded upon in [Hebrews 10:5](/hebrews/10-5 "Hebrews 10:5 - Christ's Prepared Body"). This significant translational shift highlights the prophetic nature of the verse, pointing to the Messiah's incarnate obedience.
* **Burnt offering and sin offering (Hebrew, _olah v'chattat'_):** These are two specific and highly significant types of animal sacrifices within the Mosaic Law. The _olah_ (burnt offering) was a whole burnt offering, completely consumed on the altar, symbolizing complete devotion and general atonement. The _chattat_ (sin offering) was specifically for unintentional sins, designed to make atonement and purify from ritual impurity. By specifically mentioning these, the psalmist reinforces that God's non-requirement extends to even the most central and profound aspects of the sacrificial system as an ultimate means of pleasing Him.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire;":** This opening clause immediately establishes God's priority. It's not that God forbade or despised these rituals, which He Himself instituted, but that His ultimate desire was not for the external act in isolation. He sought something deeper: a heart of devotion and obedience, which the rituals were meant to symbolize and facilitate, not replace.
* **"mine ears hast thou opened:":** This is the pivotal statement, presenting the positive alternative to the rejected sacrifices. Instead of external ritual, God has performed an internal work, making the psalmist spiritually receptive and willing to obey. This implies a divine initiative in enabling human obedience and a profound, personal intimacy where God communicates His will directly to a prepared heart.
* **"burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.":** This clause reiterates and amplifies the first, using more specific terms for the major categories of atonement and devotion. The repetition emphasizes the comprehensive nature of God's preference for internal obedience over the mere performance of external rites. The sacrificial system, while serving a divine purpose, was never the final answer to humanity's sin problem or God's ultimate desire for communion.

#### Literary Devices
Psalms 40:6 employs several powerful literary devices. **Parallelism** is evident in the structure, particularly **negative parallelism**, where the first and third clauses ("Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire;" and "burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.") express similar ideas of God's non-desire for ritual, framing the central, positive declaration. The phrase "mine ears hast thou opened" functions as a potent **Metaphor**, representing not a literal physical alteration, but a profound spiritual transformation—a heart made receptive and obedient to God's voice. This creates an **Antithesis** between what God *does not* desire (external ritual) and what He *does* enable and desire (internal, willing obedience). Furthermore, when viewed through the lens of the New Testament, the verse carries profound **Prophetic** significance, especially given the Septuagint's rendering, which points directly to the ultimate obedient act of the Messiah.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 40:6 stands as a powerful theological statement, asserting that God's ultimate desire has always been for a relationship characterized by heartfelt obedience and a willing spirit, rather than mere outward ritual. While the Old Testament sacrificial system was divinely instituted for atonement and to teach about the gravity of sin and the need for a substitute, it was always a temporary measure, a shadow pointing to a greater reality. This verse highlights the inherent limitation of animal sacrifices to truly take away sin or fully satisfy God's righteous demands. It aligns with a consistent prophetic theme throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing that true worship stems from an internal disposition of the heart, which then manifests in righteous living and obedience to God's revealed will. This prepares the way for the New Covenant understanding of worship, where the perfect sacrifice of Christ fulfills and supersedes all previous forms of atonement.

* [1 Samuel 15:22](/1_samuel/15-22 "1 Samuel 15:22 - Obedience is Better than Sacrifice")
* [Hosea 6:6](/hosea/6-6 "Hosea 6:6 - Mercy, Not Sacrifice")
* [Hebrews 10:5-7](/hebrews/10-5 "Hebrews 10:5-7 - Christ's Obedience Fulfills the Law")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 40:6 calls us to a profound re-evaluation of our worship and spiritual lives. It challenges the temptation to equate religious activity with true devotion, reminding us that God seeks not merely our performance, but our person—a heart fully yielded and attuned to His voice. In an age where external expressions of faith can sometimes overshadow internal transformation, this verse serves as a vital corrective. It invites us to cultivate "opened ears" to God's Word, to prioritize listening and obeying over merely participating in rituals or fulfilling religious duties. Our most profound act of worship is to live a life of willing obedience, trusting in the sufficiency of Christ's one-time, perfect sacrifice, and offering ourselves as "living sacrifices" ([Romans 12:1](/romans/12-1 "Romans 12:1 - Living Sacrifices")). This means actively seeking God's will in every area of life, responding with humility and faith, and allowing His Spirit to transform our desires to align with His.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does this verse challenge my understanding of worship? Am I prioritizing outward religious acts over inward obedience and a receptive heart?**
* **In what specific areas of my life might I be offering "sacrifices" (efforts, activities, duties) that God does not desire, instead of true, heartfelt obedience?**
* **What practical steps can I take to cultivate "opened ears" to God's voice and respond with greater willingness and delight to His will in my daily life?**

### FAQ

**Does this verse mean animal sacrifices were wrong or useless in the Old Testament?**

Answer: No, not at all. The animal sacrifices were divinely instituted by God as part of the Mosaic Covenant ([Leviticus/1](/leviticus/1 "Leviticus 1 - The Burnt Offering")). They served crucial purposes: to provide a temporary means of atonement for sin, to teach the people about the holiness of God and the gravity of sin, and to foreshadow the ultimate, perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Psalms 40:6 does not negate their historical or theological validity within their context. Instead, it highlights that God's *ultimate* desire was never for the ritual itself as an end, but for the heart behind the ritual. When offered without a sincere, obedient heart, the sacrifices became meaningless, as many prophets warned (e.g., [Isaiah 1:11-17](/isaiah/1-11 "Isaiah 1:11-17 - God's Rejection of Empty Ritual")). God desired the spirit of repentance and obedience that the sacrifices were meant to foster, not just the blood of animals.

**How does the Septuagint's "a body hast thou prepared me" relate to the Hebrew "mine ears hast thou opened"?**

Answer: The Septuagint (LXX) is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, widely used in the time of Jesus and the apostles. While the Hebrew phrase "mine ears hast thou opened" (meaning "dug" or "bored ears") emphasizes a spiritual receptivity and willingness to obey (possibly alluding to the perpetual slave's ear in [Exodus 21:6](/exodus/21-6 "Exodus 21:6 - The Permanent Slave")), the Septuagint's rendering, "a body hast thou prepared me," offers a theological interpretation rather than a literal translation. The New Testament author of Hebrews directly quotes the Septuagint's version in [Hebrews 10:5](/hebrews/10-5 "Hebrews 10:5 - Christ's Prepared Body") to explain the prophetic fulfillment of Psalms 40:6 in Jesus Christ. The connection lies in the underlying theme of complete surrender and obedience to God's will. The "opened ears" signify a willing heart to obey, and for Christ, this willing obedience was embodied in His prepared human body, offered as the ultimate and perfect sacrifice. Both phrases, in their respective contexts, point to a total yielding to God's divine purpose.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 40:6 finds its profound and ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies the "opened ears" and "prepared body" that God truly desired. The Old Testament sacrificial system, with its burnt offerings and sin offerings, was a temporary shadow, incapable of truly taking away sins ([Hebrews 10:4](/hebrews/10-4 "Hebrews 10:4 - The Inadequacy of Animal Blood")). It pointed forward to the one perfect sacrifice. Jesus, the eternal Son, came into the world not merely to offer a sacrifice, but to *be* the sacrifice, fulfilling the Father's will through His obedient life and atoning death. As [Hebrews 10:5-7](/hebrews/10-5 "Hebrews 10:5-7 - Christ's Obedience Fulfills the Law") explains, quoting the Septuagint of Psalms 40:6, Christ declared, "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me... Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God." His incarnation ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")) provided the prepared body. His entire earthly life was an act of perfect obedience, culminating in His death on the cross, where He willingly laid down His life ([John 10:18](/john/10-18 "John 10:18 - Jesus Lays Down His Life")) as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")). Through His one, perfect, and eternally effective sacrifice, Christ rendered all previous sacrifices obsolete ([Hebrews 10:10-14](/hebrews/10-10 "Hebrews 10:10-14 - The Efficacy of Christ's Sacrifice")), forever satisfying God's righteous demands and opening the way for us to approach God with "opened ears" and obedient hearts, not through ritual, but through faith in Him.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 1:11

To what purpose [is] the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

Hebrews 10:5

Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

Hebrews 10:12

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

1 Samuel 15:22

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.

Psalms 51:16

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give [it]: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

Hosea 6:6

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Matthew 12:7

But if ye had known what [this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.