Psalm 40 6

Psalm 40:6 kjv

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

Psalm 40:6 nkjv

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.

Psalm 40:6 niv

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire? but my ears you have opened? burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

Psalm 40:6 esv

In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

Psalm 40:6 nlt

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.
Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand ?
you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings.

Psalm 40 verses

Psalm 40 6 Meaning

Psalm 40:6 conveys God's profound desire for obedience and a yielded heart over external, ritualistic sacrifices and offerings. It reveals that the traditional temple rituals, while commanded by God under the Mosaic Covenant, were never meant to be ends in themselves but rather symbols pointing to a deeper spiritual reality: wholehearted devotion and willing submission to God's will. The verse, particularly through its New Testament interpretation, prophesies the coming of the Messiah whose incarnate body and perfect obedience would constitute the ultimate and fulfilling offering, surpassing all previous animal sacrifices.

Psalm 40 6 Context

Psalm 40 is a "Miktam of David," containing elements of both a lament and a thanksgiving psalm. Verses 1-5 recount God's gracious deliverance and faithfulness in the psalmist's life, leading to praise and trust. Verse 6 marks a pivotal theological statement within the psalm, transitioning from personal testimony to a universal declaration about the nature of true worship. This declaration serves to explain why God delivered the psalmist—because He values an obedient heart more than ritualistic observance. Following this, verses 7-8 speak of a personal commitment to obey God's will and declare His righteousness. The psalm then shifts back to a prayer for deliverance from enemies and troubles (vv. 11-17), reinforcing the psalmist's reliance on God even amidst hardship. Historically, during the time of David and later, temple worship and the sacrificial system were central to Israelite religion. However, the prophets often critiqued a superficial adherence to these rituals when separated from justice, mercy, and genuine faith. Psalm 40:6 falls into this prophetic stream, challenging the sufficiency of outward forms without inward spiritual devotion, pointing towards a higher form of obedience that would find its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

Psalm 40 6 Word analysis

• Sacrifice (זֶבַח - zebach): Refers generally to an animal sacrifice, typically involving the shedding of blood. It signifies the primary offering type within the Mosaic Law for atonement, thanksgiving, or fellowship. The usage here indicates God's lack of ultimate delight in the mere act of blood sacrifices, not their abolition at that point, but their relative importance.
• and offering (וּמִנְחָה - u-minchah): Refers to a non-bloody offering, such as a grain offering or meal offering. This covers the breadth of required temple offerings, emphasizing that God's desired spiritual reality extended beyond all types of prescribed material rituals.
• You did not desire (לֹא־חָפַ֥צְתָּ - lo-chaphatzta): Chaphatz (חָפֵץ) means "to desire," "to delight in," "to take pleasure in." The negation signifies that God's ultimate pleasure or primary desire is not found in the external acts themselves but in what they should represent: a willing heart and obedience. This is a critique of formalistic religion that focuses only on outward acts.
• My ears (אָזְנַ֖יִם - oznayim): This is the Masoretic Text (MT) reading, meaning "ears" (dual form). Ears are symbols of hearing and, by extension, obedience. An "opened ear" or "dug ear" (as the Hebrew verb implies) metaphorically indicates a readiness or capacity to hear and obey divine instruction, akin to the willing servant in Exod 21:6 whose ear is pierced as a sign of permanent service. It speaks of a heightened receptivity to God's command.
• You have opened/dug for me (כָּרִ֣יתָ לִּ֑י - karita li): Karita comes from the verb karah (כָּרָה), meaning "to dig," "to bore," "to scoop out." In this context, it metaphorically means "You have prepared/fashioned for me a receptive ear." It implies an internal work of God, preparing the psalmist (and prophetically, the Messiah) to listen attentively and obediently to His word.
• (A body you have prepared for me): This specific phrasing is from the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, and is directly quoted in Heb 10:5. This reading differs significantly from the Masoretic Text's "My ears You have opened." The Septuagint translation likely reflects an interpretative tradition that saw "ears opened" as preparing one for service, which culminates in providing a physical body for incarnational service and ultimate sacrifice.
• "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me" (phrase analysis): This highlights a divinely orchestrated shift in the nature of ultimate propitiation. God does not find ultimate delight in temporary, symbolic rituals. Instead, He providentially prepares a living instrument—either a receptive heart (MT) or, supremely, an incarnated being (LXX/Heb 10) —through which His perfect will can be perfectly fulfilled. It underscores the transition from ceremonial law to substantial obedience, culminating in Christ. The direct quotation in Hebrews 10 signifies the definitive theological meaning for the Christian faith, linking the Old Testament prophetic aspiration directly to Christ's obedient life and atoning death.
• "My ears You have opened for me" vs. "A body you have prepared for me" (word-group analysis): The MT emphasizes internal, spiritual readiness to obey. God cultivates a listening heart in His servant. This aligns with many Old Testament passages valuing obedience over sacrifice (e.g., 1 Sam 15:22). The LXX/Heb 10 reading interprets this divine preparation for obedience as culminating in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. "A body prepared" is God providing the Messiah with a physical nature to enter human history and perfectly fulfill His will, culminating in His sacrificial death on the cross as the final and perfect atonement, replacing the animal sacrifices. This interpretation is inspired and essential for understanding the transition from the Old to the New Covenant in Christ. Both interpretations point to the same principle: God desires obedient relationship more than mere ritual, finding its highest expression in Christ's embodiment of divine will.

Psalm 40 6 Bonus section

• The Prophetic "I": While Psalm 40 is a "psalm of David," the shift from the psalmist's thanksgiving to this universal declaration (vv. 6-8) is strongly seen as messianic prophecy. The "I" who speaks here in obedience ("Behold, I have come to do Your will") is understood to be the voice of the pre-incarnate Christ or the Son preparing for His earthly mission, speaking through the psalmist.
• Contrasting Wisdom: The wisdom expressed in Psalm 40:6, prioritizing heart and obedience, stands in direct contrast to pagan practices where deities were often seen as appeased by mere physical offerings, regardless of the worshiper's heart or ethical conduct. Israel's God demanded ethical and internal transformation, distinguishing His covenant from surrounding pagan worship.
• Progression of Revelation: This verse illustrates a progressive revelation of God's will. While the sacrificial system was divinely ordained, it was always preparatory. Psalm 40:6, interpreted by Hebrews, clarifies that the purpose of the Old Covenant rituals was not ultimate but was a foreshadowing of the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice and obedience of Jesus Christ.
• Covenantal Fulfillment: The movement from "sacrifice and offering" to "a body" speaks to the shift from the Old Covenant, marked by blood rituals, to the New Covenant, established by the blood of Christ and centered on an obedient relationship with God, written on the heart (Jer 31:33).

Psalm 40 6 Commentary

Psalm 40:6 unveils a core theological truth about God's priorities in worship: He values sincere, internal obedience and devotion more than external, ritualistic sacrifices. The verse functions as a divine re-statement of principle found throughout the Prophets, condemning a superficial religious adherence. The Hebrew text ("My ears You have opened") portrays a deep, intimate work of God upon the psalmist, creating a ready and receptive heart tuned to hear and follow His commands. This implies that true worship is not about outward performance but inward transformation and an earnest desire to live according to God's will. The New Testament, specifically Hebrews 10, interprets this verse using the Septuagint's rendering, "A body you have prepared for me." This prophetic shift directly points to Jesus Christ. It declares that God had always intended for an ultimate and perfect sacrifice, which would not be animal blood but the very Incarnation and obedient life of His Son. Christ’s coming in a physical body and His willingness to fulfill the Father’s will—even to the point of death on the cross—was the full and final offering that genuinely appeased God's wrath and inaugurated the new covenant, rendering the old sacrificial system obsolete. Thus, Psalm 40:6 stands as a profound prophecy of Christ's incarnate obedience, His life embodying the will of God, culminating in His single, perfect sacrifice that superseded all prior ritualistic atonements. It calls believers today to offer not merely rituals, but lives of humble obedience and spiritual worship (Rom 12:1).