Psalms 69:31

[This] also shall please the LORD better than an ox [or] bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

This also shall please {H3190} the LORD {H3068} better {H3190}{H8799)} than an ox {H7794} or bullock {H6499} that hath horns {H7160}{H8688)} and hoofs {H6536}{H8688)}.

This will please ADONAI more than a bull, with its horns and hoofs.

And this will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves.

And it will please Jehovah better than an ox, Ora bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

Commentary

Psalms 69:31 (KJV) declares, "This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs." This powerful statement concludes a section of profound praise and thanksgiving, emphasizing God's preference for genuine, heartfelt worship over mere ritualistic offerings.

Context

Psalm 69 is a deeply poignant lament, often attributed to King David, where the psalmist cries out from a place of intense suffering, persecution, and distress. He experiences profound rejection and affliction (see Psalms 69:20). Despite the overwhelming sorrow, the psalm shifts towards the end (from verse 30 onwards) to an expression of confidence in God's deliverance and a commitment to praise Him. This transition highlights a common pattern in the Psalms: moving from complaint to trust and worship. Verse 30 explicitly states, "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving." Verse 31 then clarifies the immense value God places on this very act of praise and thanksgiving.

Meaning and Interpretation

The core message of Psalms 69:31 is that spiritual sacrifices, specifically praise and thanksgiving offered from a sincere heart, are more pleasing to God than the most elaborate animal sacrifices. In ancient Israel, the offering of oxen or bullocks was a significant and costly act of worship, symbolizing atonement, dedication, or thanksgiving. By stating that "this also" (referring to the praise and thanksgiving of verse 30) pleases the LORD better than such a sacrifice, the psalmist elevates the internal, spiritual act above the external, ritualistic one.

This does not negate the importance of the sacrificial system in its time, which was divinely ordained to point towards the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. Rather, it underscores a recurring prophetic theme found throughout the Old Testament: God desires a right heart more than mere outward observance. Prophets like Samuel (see 1 Samuel 15:22) and Hosea (see Hosea 6:6) similarly conveyed God's preference for obedience, mercy, and knowledge of Him over burnt offerings.

Key Themes

  • Superiority of Spiritual Worship: The verse clearly prioritizes heartfelt praise and thanksgiving over the most valuable material offerings.
  • God's Desire for Intimacy: It reveals that God is less interested in the quantity of external rituals and more in the quality of genuine devotion and a thankful spirit.
  • Acceptable Sacrifice: It defines what truly constitutes an acceptable offering to the LORD – not just something costly, but something from the heart.

Linguistic Insight

The Hebrew word for "praise" in the preceding verse (Psalms 69:30) is yadah, which implies an act of confession, thanksgiving, and often involves extending hands in worship. The contrast here is between this active, personal expression of gratitude and the physical sacrifice of an animal, which, while commanded, could become a mere routine without genuine heart participation. The "ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs" vividly describes a fully grown, healthy animal, representing a significant and valuable offering within the Levitical system.

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalms 69:31 serves as a timeless reminder that our worship is not about outward show or grand gestures, but about the sincerity of our hearts. While we no longer offer animal sacrifices, this verse calls us to offer ourselves as "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1) and to continually offer the "sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name". Even in times of personal suffering or challenge, as the psalmist experienced, offering praise and thanksgiving is a powerful act of faith that deeply pleases the LORD. It encourages a life of gratitude and a focus on cultivating a thankful heart in all circumstances.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 50:13

    Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

  • Psalms 50:14

    Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:

  • Hebrews 13:15

    By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.

  • Psalms 50:23

    Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth [his] conversation [aright] will I shew the salvation of God.

  • Ephesians 5:19

    Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

  • Ephesians 5:20

    Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

  • 1 Peter 2:5

    Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
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