Psalm 69:31 kjv
This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
Psalm 69:31 nkjv
This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull, Which has horns and hooves.
Psalm 69:31 niv
This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
Psalm 69:31 esv
This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.
Psalm 69:31 nlt
For this will please the LORD more than sacrificing cattle,
more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves.
Psalm 69 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 50:14 | Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving... | Thanksgiving is a sacrifice |
| Psa 50:23 | The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me... | Thanksgiving glorifies God |
| Psa 51:16-17 | For You will not delight in sacrifice... The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit... | God prefers contrite heart over ritual |
| Psa 107:22 | And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving... | Call to thanksgiving offerings |
| Psa 116:17 | I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving... | Personal vow to offer thanks |
| Hos 14:2 | Take with you words and return to the LORD; Say to Him, “Forgive all iniquity, and accept what is good, So that we may render the calves of our lips.” | Lips of praise are calves (sacrifices) |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | Has 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... | Obedience is better than sacrifice |
| Prov 15:8 | The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight. | Righteous prayer preferred over wicked ritual |
| Prov 21:3 | To do righteousness and justice Is preferred by the LORD over sacrifice. | Righteousness preferred over sacrifice |
| Prov 21:27 | The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with evil intent! | Wicked sacrifices are abominable |
| Isa 1:11-17 | “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD... | God rejects empty ritual without justice |
| Jer 7:21-23 | “Add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the flesh! For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them... concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice...’” | Obedience prioritized over sacrifice |
| Mic 6:6-8 | “With what shall I come to the LORD and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings...? He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” | Justice and humility over ritual |
| Matt 9:13 | “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice...’” | God desires mercy, not mere ritual |
| Matt 12:7 | “But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.” | Compassion over rigid ritual |
| Rom 12:1 | Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. | Believers as living spiritual sacrifices |
| Heb 10:4-9 | For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins... Then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. | Christ's sacrifice supersedes animal ones |
| Heb 13:15 | Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. | Christian sacrifice is praise |
| Eph 5:2 | And walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. | Christ's fragrant offering to God |
| Phil 4:18 | But I have received everything and am well supplied; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. | Giving/sharing is a pleasing sacrifice |
Psalm 69 verses
Psalm 69 31 Meaning
Psalm 69:31 states that praise and thanksgiving offered to the LORD are more pleasing and acceptable to Him than the most valuable animal sacrifices, such as an ox or a bull. It emphasizes the superior value of sincere, spiritual worship originating from a grateful heart over mere external ritual.
Psalm 69 31 Context
Psalm 69 is a deeply poignant psalm of lament, frequently cited as Messianic due to its profound expressions of suffering and persecution, which resonate with the experiences of Jesus Christ. The psalmist (traditionally David) describes sinking into deep waters and mire, enduring taunts, alienation from his family, and relentless attacks from enemies. He appeals to God for deliverance, forgiveness, and vindication against those who mock him and the LORD.
Verse 31 directly follows verse 30, which reads: "I will praise the name of God with song, And magnify Him with thanksgiving." This transition from the psalmist's personal suffering and cries for help (vv. 1-29) to a vow of thanksgiving and praise (vv. 30-36) marks a shift from lament to hope and a commitment to worship. The statement in verse 31 articulates why such praise and thanksgiving are so valuable: they are supremely acceptable to God. The psalm then broadens from personal deliverance to a prophetic vision of God's universal salvation for Zion and Judah. In its historical context, while animal sacrifices were a central tenet of Israelite worship as divinely commanded rites for atonement, fellowship, and peace, the prophets consistently taught that their efficacy depended on the heart of the worshiper, emphasizing justice, obedience, and genuine piety over mere ritual.
Psalm 69 31 Word analysis
- This (זֹאת - zō’t): A feminine demonstrative pronoun, referring directly to the "praising the name of God with song" and "magnifying Him with thanksgiving" mentioned in the preceding verse (v. 30). It underscores that the act of sincere verbal praise and gratitude is the specific action being prioritized.
- will please (יִטַב - yiṭaḇ): From the root יָטַב (yāṭaḇ), meaning "to be good, well-pleasing, acceptable, delightful." It denotes something that meets with God's approval and brings Him pleasure, implying a deeper level of intrinsic value and divine preference beyond mere ritualistic adherence.
- the LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): The sacred, incommunicable four-letter name of God, often transliterated as Yahweh. This covenant name emphasizes God's personal, eternal, and redemptive character, highlighting that this pleasing act of worship is directed towards the specific, true God of Israel, not any deity.
- more than (מִ - mi-): A comparative particle indicating superiority, "from," "out of," or "than." It directly establishes the hierarchy of value, explicitly elevating spiritual praise above physical offerings.
- an ox (שׁוֹר - shor): Refers to a mature male bovine animal. In ancient Israelite society, oxen were symbols of wealth, strength, and utility, and were frequently used as valuable sacrifices for various offerings due to their significant cost and size.
- or a bull (פָּר - par): A young bull, also a large and costly animal commonly offered in major sacrifices, particularly for sin and burnt offerings. It further specifies the type of substantial animal being referred to, emphasizing the grandeur of the contrasted physical sacrifice.
- with horns (קַרְנַיִם - qarnayim): The dual form of קֶרֶן (qeren), meaning "horn." Horns on animals signify their full maturity, strength, vigor, and potential. In the context of sacrifice, it emphasizes a perfect, robust, and prime specimen, making it an offering of significant worth and status.
- and hoofs (מַפְרִיס - map̄rīś): A participial form, meaning "one that divides the hoof" or "splitting the hoof." This is a specific characteristic of clean animals permissible for sacrifice and consumption under Mosaic Law (Lev 11:3). Its inclusion emphasizes that the psalmist is not just speaking of any cattle, but of a legitimate, ritually pure, and valuable sacrificial animal according to the precise standards of the law. The phrase "bull with horns and hoofs" paints a vivid picture of a choice, unblemished, and complete sacrificial animal.
Words-group analysis:
- This will please the LORD: Highlights the divine favor and intrinsic worth placed on genuine, heartfelt worship. It demonstrates God's desire for a relationship characterized by gratefulness.
- more than an ox, or a bull with horns and hoofs: Establishes a clear qualitative superiority. It is not just "equal to" or "also pleasing," but "more" so. By specifying a "bull with horns and hoofs," the psalmist details a complete, mature, and ritually acceptable sacrifice, thereby maximizing the contrast. It denotes a significant and valuable physical offering, reinforcing how profoundly God values sincere spiritual praise. This elevates spiritual acts to a position above the most substantial material contributions in worship.
Psalm 69 31 Bonus section
- The emphasis on "horns and hoofs" may also serve to highlight the full physical strength and virility of the animal, contrasting the powerful, albeit fleeting, animal sacrifice with the enduring power and spiritual value of heartfelt praise.
- This verse contributes to the Old Testament's progressive revelation regarding worship, foreshadowing a time when ritualistic animal sacrifices would no longer be central (fulfilled in Christ's ultimate sacrifice), and true worship would be characterized by Spirit and truth (John 4:24).
- The context of Psalm 69 as a Messianic psalm means that this verse can also be viewed as a prophetic declaration from the perspective of the suffering Messiah, affirming that His ultimate "sacrifice" would be one of perfect obedience and glorification of God, superseding the temple's animal offerings.
Psalm 69 31 Commentary
Psalm 69:31 encapsulates a core biblical truth frequently articulated by prophets and sages throughout Scripture: the spiritual sacrifice of a devoted heart transcends the value of physical, animal sacrifices. While the Mosaic Law meticulously outlined various animal offerings as means of atonement, fellowship, and thanksgiving, these rituals were always intended to be an outward expression of an inward spiritual reality. When separated from genuine faith, obedience, and heartfelt devotion, even the most costly sacrifices became hollow and unacceptable to God, as Isaiah 1 and Amos 5 lament.
Here, the psalmist, in the midst of extreme personal distress, expresses his vow to praise God with song and thanksgiving. This spontaneous outpouring of gratitude and adoration, born from an experience of profound need and anticipated deliverance, is declared to be "more pleasing" to Yahweh than an ox or a bull – animals representing the pinnacle of ancient Israelite material offerings, both in value and ceremonial significance. The phrase "with horns and hoofs" vividly portrays a perfect, unblemished, and fully prepared animal according to ritual law, underscoring that even the finest of such offerings cannot surpass the spiritual beauty of a thankful heart.
This verse anticipates the New Covenant understanding of worship, where believers offer spiritual sacrifices. Hebrews 13:15, for example, directly links the "sacrifice of praise" with "the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." Romans 12:1 similarly calls believers to present their bodies as "living sacrifices," emphasizing a life devoted to God as the ultimate act of worship. Ultimately, this verse teaches that true worship is not about the external magnitude of our gifts but the internal authenticity of our hearts, offering praise that flows from a spirit transformed by God's grace and goodness.