For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
God does not desire mere outward sacrifice and burnt offering by themselves, for they cannot take the place of confession and a humbled heart or remove guilt. What He accepts and will not despise is a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart, with sincere repentance, cleansing, and a renewed right spirit that makes worship acceptable. It belongs to David's repentance when reproof came from God by His prophet for his sin, when he confessed, humbled his heart, and declared God just in all His dealings. True repentance cherishes no stubborn resistance or rebellion against reproof, makes no excuse for wrong, loathes sin, and prays not merely to escape judgment but for purity of heart and renewal. Through all ages it proves a source of encouragement to souls fallen into sin and struggling under guilt, showing that sincere confession is accepted and that mercy and pardon are still extended to every sinner who seeks God without delay.
Setting in David's Repentance
The verse belongs to David's repentance after reproof came to him from God by His prophet for his sin as the exalted and honored king of Israel, when he confessed his sin, humbled his heart, and declared God to be just in all His dealings. After being shown his sin he recognized its seriousness, repented, and found pardon through Christ. It was set in a sacred song to be sung in the public assemblies of his people, in the presence of the court, priests and judges, princes and men of war, to preserve to the latest generation the knowledge of his fall. It recounts his sin, his repentance, and his hope of pardon through the mercy of God, and instead of concealing guilt it was made public so that others might learn from the sad history of his fall.
It portrays David when convicted pouring out his soul before God in penitence and humiliation, feeling he could endure the loss of his crown but could not be deprived of the favor of God. Though he had sinned greatly, he was beloved not because he was perfect but because he cherished no stubborn resistance to the expressed will of God and his spirit did not rise in rebellion against reproof. When sharp rebuke came he bowed under chastisement and was greatly humbled, with contrition as profound as his guilt and humility under a sense of his sin, and his strength lay not in always resisting temptation but in contrition of soul and sincere penitence. He never lost confidence in God who put the stern rebuke in the mouth of His prophet, he bore no hatred for the prophet, he relied upon the mercy of the God whom he had loved and served and honored, and having been much forgiven he loved much. He did not parade his goodness before God or present anything of his own as a price, but acknowledged his sin and came in contrition, taking no counsel of men who were sinning against God, trusting in God more than in man, and accepting the decision of God as just and merciful.
It is full of significance to the repenting sinner and has proved through all ages a source of encouragement to souls fallen into sin and struggling under the burden of guilt and ready to give up to despair. It shows that sincere repentance and confession are accepted by God even though suffering for transgression still remains. It gives courage to children of God betrayed into sin to repent and try again to walk in the way of God's commandments. Mercy and pardon are still extended to every sinner who seeks God without delay.
God Desires Contrite Heart
God does not desire or delight in mere outward sacrifice and burnt offering by themselves. They cannot take the place of confession and a humbled heart, cannot remove guilt, and guilt cannot be met by giving them. The sacrifices He accepts are a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart, which He will not despise. Sincere repentance, cleansing, and a renewed relationship matter more than ritual offerings.
The verse belongs to the prayer for a clean heart and a renewed right spirit that prepares a person to do acceptable service. Only with that spirit does service and worship become acceptable, after which God is pleased with righteous offerings. True repentance makes no excuse for crime and does not pray merely to escape threatened judgment. It sees the enormity of transgression against God and defilement of soul, loathes sin, prays not for pardon only but for purity of heart, does not give up the struggle in despair, and finds evidence of pardon and acceptance in God's promises to repentant sinners.
God regards inward character and a humble, contrite spirit that trembles at His word rather than rank, wealth, or status. He accepts no human substitute for penitence, faith, and obedience, so claims of holiness by one's own standard are empty boasting. The work of conversion must begin in the heart, which the Holy Spirit subdues and renews. Mere profession of faith without refining and sanctifying power producing purity, Christlike character, and a life different from the world leaves influence unpalatable and worthless like salt without savor. Believers are not bound to Jewish ceremonies, forms, types, and sacrifices because the death of the Son of God is the perfect and final offering bringing an age of clearer light and knowledge, leading to a more active spiritual life above mere ceremonies.
Call to Repent Today
The verse lays out the course for one who has departed from the Lord, calling him to repent, confess sin, and be converted. Outward sacrifice and burnt offering are not what God desires in place of genuine repentance, and they cannot serve as a substitute for it. What He accepts is explained in what follows: a broken spirit and a contrite heart. The prayer therefore belongs to the sinner who seeks mercy, cleansing, and a renewed heart, rather than relying on ritual or trying to save himself.
It is part of the prayer for a clean heart and a renewed right spirit, which prepares a person to do acceptable service for God. Every believer today should pray that same prayer. Only with a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart does service and worship become acceptable, and then God is pleased with righteous offerings. This same lesson bears directly on those entrusted with responsibility and special duties. Sacrifice and burnt offering are not what God desires in place of a right and repentant heart, for the sacrifices He accepts and will not despise are a broken spirit and a broken, contrite heart. Those so entrusted are therefore to be humble rather than act as lords over God's people and rule over them.
God does not desire mere outward sacrifice and burnt offering by themselves, for they cannot take the place of confession and a humbled heart or remove guilt. What He accepts and will not despise is a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart, with sincere repentance, cleansing, and a renewed right spirit that makes worship acceptable. It belongs to David's repentance when reproof came from God by His prophet for his sin, when he confessed, humbled his heart, and declared God just in all His dealings. True repentance cherishes no stubborn resistance or rebellion against reproof, makes no excuse for wrong, loathes sin, and prays not merely to escape judgment but for purity of heart and renewal. Through all ages it proves a source of encouragement to souls fallen into sin and struggling under guilt, showing that sincere confession is accepted and that mercy and pardon are still extended to every sinner who seeks God without delay.
Setting in David's Repentance
The verse belongs to David's repentance after reproof came to him from God by His prophet for his sin as the exalted and honored king of Israel, when he confessed his sin, humbled his heart, and declared God to be just in all His dealings. After being shown his sin he recognized its seriousness, repented, and found pardon through Christ. It was set in a sacred song to be sung in the public assemblies of his people, in the presence of the court, priests and judges, princes and men of war, to preserve to the latest generation the knowledge of his fall. It recounts his sin, his repentance, and his hope of pardon through the mercy of God, and instead of concealing guilt it was made public so that others might learn from the sad history of his fall.
It portrays David when convicted pouring out his soul before God in penitence and humiliation, feeling he could endure the loss of his crown but could not be deprived of the favor of God. Though he had sinned greatly, he was beloved not because he was perfect but because he cherished no stubborn resistance to the expressed will of God and his spirit did not rise in rebellion against reproof. When sharp rebuke came he bowed under chastisement and was greatly humbled, with contrition as profound as his guilt and humility under a sense of his sin, and his strength lay not in always resisting temptation but in contrition of soul and sincere penitence. He never lost confidence in God who put the stern rebuke in the mouth of His prophet, he bore no hatred for the prophet, he relied upon the mercy of the God whom he had loved and served and honored, and having been much forgiven he loved much. He did not parade his goodness before God or present anything of his own as a price, but acknowledged his sin and came in contrition, taking no counsel of men who were sinning against God, trusting in God more than in man, and accepting the decision of God as just and merciful.
It is full of significance to the repenting sinner and has proved through all ages a source of encouragement to souls fallen into sin and struggling under the burden of guilt and ready to give up to despair. It shows that sincere repentance and confession are accepted by God even though suffering for transgression still remains. It gives courage to children of God betrayed into sin to repent and try again to walk in the way of God's commandments. Mercy and pardon are still extended to every sinner who seeks God without delay.
God Desires Contrite Heart
God does not desire or delight in mere outward sacrifice and burnt offering by themselves. They cannot take the place of confession and a humbled heart, cannot remove guilt, and guilt cannot be met by giving them. The sacrifices He accepts are a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart, which He will not despise. Sincere repentance, cleansing, and a renewed relationship matter more than ritual offerings.
The verse belongs to the prayer for a clean heart and a renewed right spirit that prepares a person to do acceptable service. Only with that spirit does service and worship become acceptable, after which God is pleased with righteous offerings. True repentance makes no excuse for crime and does not pray merely to escape threatened judgment. It sees the enormity of transgression against God and defilement of soul, loathes sin, prays not for pardon only but for purity of heart, does not give up the struggle in despair, and finds evidence of pardon and acceptance in God's promises to repentant sinners.
God regards inward character and a humble, contrite spirit that trembles at His word rather than rank, wealth, or status. He accepts no human substitute for penitence, faith, and obedience, so claims of holiness by one's own standard are empty boasting. The work of conversion must begin in the heart, which the Holy Spirit subdues and renews. Mere profession of faith without refining and sanctifying power producing purity, Christlike character, and a life different from the world leaves influence unpalatable and worthless like salt without savor. Believers are not bound to Jewish ceremonies, forms, types, and sacrifices because the death of the Son of God is the perfect and final offering bringing an age of clearer light and knowledge, leading to a more active spiritual life above mere ceremonies.
Call to Repent Today
The verse lays out the course for one who has departed from the Lord, calling him to repent, confess sin, and be converted. Outward sacrifice and burnt offering are not what God desires in place of genuine repentance, and they cannot serve as a substitute for it. What He accepts is explained in what follows: a broken spirit and a contrite heart. The prayer therefore belongs to the sinner who seeks mercy, cleansing, and a renewed heart, rather than relying on ritual or trying to save himself.
It is part of the prayer for a clean heart and a renewed right spirit, which prepares a person to do acceptable service for God. Every believer today should pray that same prayer. Only with a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart does service and worship become acceptable, and then God is pleased with righteous offerings. This same lesson bears directly on those entrusted with responsibility and special duties. Sacrifice and burnt offering are not what God desires in place of a right and repentant heart, for the sacrifices He accepts and will not despise are a broken spirit and a broken, contrite heart. Those so entrusted are therefore to be humble rather than act as lords over God's people and rule over them.