Psalms 40:6

Authorized King James Version

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

Original Language Analysis

זֶ֤בַח Sacrifice H2077
זֶ֤בַח Sacrifice
Strong's: H2077
Word #: 1 of 11
properly, a slaughter, i.e., the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)
וּמִנְחָ֨ה׀ and offering H4503
וּמִנְחָ֨ה׀ and offering
Strong's: H4503
Word #: 2 of 11
a donation; euphemistically, tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary)
לֹֽא H3808
לֹֽא
Strong's: H3808
Word #: 3 of 11
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
חָפַ֗צְתָּ thou didst not desire H2654
חָפַ֗צְתָּ thou didst not desire
Strong's: H2654
Word #: 4 of 11
properly, to incline to; by implication (literally but rarely) to bend; figuratively, to be pleased with, desire
אָ֭זְנַיִם mine ears H241
אָ֭זְנַיִם mine ears
Strong's: H241
Word #: 5 of 11
broadness. i.e., (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)
כָּרִ֣יתָ hast thou opened H3738
כָּרִ֣יתָ hast thou opened
Strong's: H3738
Word #: 6 of 11
properly, to dig; figuratively, to plot; generally, to bore or open
לִּ֑י H0
לִּ֑י
Strong's: H0
Word #: 7 of 11
עוֹלָ֥ה burnt offering H5930
עוֹלָ֥ה burnt offering
Strong's: H5930
Word #: 8 of 11
a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke)
וַ֝חֲטָאָ֗ה and sin offering H2401
וַ֝חֲטָאָ֗ה and sin offering
Strong's: H2401
Word #: 9 of 11
an offence, or a sacrifice for it
לֹ֣א H3808
לֹ֣א
Strong's: H3808
Word #: 10 of 11
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
שָׁאָֽלְתָּ׃ hast thou not required H7592
שָׁאָֽלְתָּ׃ hast thou not required
Strong's: H7592
Word #: 11 of 11
to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand

Cross References

Isaiah 1:11To 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.1 Samuel 15:22And 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 51:16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.Hosea 6:6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.Matthew 12:7But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.Amos 5:22Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.Matthew 9:13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.Isaiah 66:3He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.Job 33:16Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,Psalms 50:8I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.

Analysis & Commentary

Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. This verse, quoted extensively in Hebrews 10:5-7, represents a watershed moment in biblical theology—the subordination of ritual sacrifice to obedient relationship. David doesn't condemn sacrifice (he participated in temple worship), but he recognizes that God values heart obedience above ceremonial performance. This theme appears throughout prophetic literature (1 Samuel 15:22, Isaiah 1:11-17, Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:6-8).

'Thou didst not desire' (lo chafatzta, לֹא־חָפַצְתָּ) and 'hast thou not required' (lo sha'alta, לֹא שָׁאָלְתָּ) establish that while God instituted the sacrificial system, His ultimate desire transcends ritual. He wants the heart reality that sacrifice symbolizes—repentance, faith, devotion, obedience. External ceremony without internal reality is worthless; God wants truth 'in the inward parts' (Psalm 51:6).

'Mine ears hast thou opened' (oznayim karita li, אָזְנַיִם כָּרִיתָ לִּי) is variously interpreted. The Hebrew karah can mean 'to dig' or 'to open.' Some see reference to Exodus 21:6, where a servant who chooses lifelong service has his ear pierced with an awl—symbolizing permanent commitment. Others see it as metaphor for receptive, obedient hearing. The Septuagint translates it 'a body hast thou prepared me' (quoted in Hebrews 10:5), interpreting it as God preparing a body for incarnational obedience—Christ's body prepared for sacrifice.

The verse lists four sacrifice categories—zebach (זֶבַח, peace/fellowship offering), minchah (מִנְחָה, grain offering), olah (עֹלָה, burnt offering), and chattah (חַטָּאָה, sin offering)—covering the entire sacrificial system. None of these, in themselves, satisfy God's ultimate desire. He wants obedient servants with open ears, ready to hear and do His will. Jesus perfectly fulfilled this—He came to do the Father's will (John 6:38), was obedient unto death (Philippians 2:8), and became the final sacrifice that ended all sacrifices (Hebrews 10:10-14).

Historical Context

The tension between sacrifice and obedience runs throughout Israel's history. The prophets repeatedly confronted empty ritualism—offering sacrifices while practicing injustice, maintaining ceremonies while violating covenant, performing rituals while harboring idolatry. Samuel rebuked Saul: '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' (1 Samuel 15:22).

Isaiah condemned worship that lacked justice: 'To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD... bring no more vain oblations... your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean... cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow' (Isaiah 1:11-17). God doesn't reject sacrifice per se but sacrifice divorced from righteousness. He wants both outer ceremony and inner reality.

The post-exilic period highlighted this tension. After Babylon destroyed the temple and ended sacrifices, Jews discovered they could relate to God without temple rituals. Synagogues emerged emphasizing Scripture reading, prayer, and obedience. Though temple worship resumed after the exile, the prophetic critique of empty ritualism continued. By Jesus's time, the sacrificial system had become corrupt commerce (John 2:14-16), and Jesus's cleansing of the temple signaled coming judgment.

Hebrews 10:5-10 interprets this psalm christologically. When Christ entered the world, He came to fulfill what sacrifice symbolized—perfect obedience unto death. His once-for-all sacrifice rendered the old system obsolete (Hebrews 10:9). The torn temple veil at Christ's death symbolized access to God no longer depending on animal sacrifices but on Christ's blood. Christians now offer 'spiritual sacrifices' (1 Peter 2:5)—praise, service, obedience—grounded in Christ's completed work.

Questions for Reflection