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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed is how the verse emphasizes obedience through the imagery of "open ears," suggesting a radical receptivity to God's word. This isn't just about hearing; it's about ears being specially prepared or "dug" for the purpose of listening and obeying, pointing to a willing submission far beyond mere ritual.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm, spoken from David's perspective, expresses deep gratitude for God's deliverance from a terrible situation, possibly a serious illness or being brought back from the brink of death. The verses immediately preceding this one describe God rescuing him from this pit of despair and setting his feet firmly on solid ground. This passage then shifts to explain how God has truly accepted his worship, emphasizing a willing obedience over mere ritual sacrifices.
God never intended ritual alone to be the end game. What did He truly desire instead?
The psalmist here declares that God doesn't delight in animal sacrifices and offerings. This isn't a rejection of the Old Testament system, but a pointer to its limitations.
The Purpose of the Law
These sacrifices were God's provision for Israel, highlighting sin and pointing towards a future, perfect sacrifice. However, they could never truly cleanse or satisfy God's justice.
The Heart's Desire
God's deepest desire has always been for a willing, obedient heart that trusts Him. Rituals were meant to lead to this, not replace it.
What does it mean for God to 'dig' or 'open' our ears, and how does this relate to Christ?
The phrase 'mine ears hast thou opened' (or 'bored' in some translations) is powerful. It signifies more than just hearing; it points to a readiness to obey.
A Willing Servant
In the ancient Near East, boring a servant's ear was a sign of willing, perpetual servitude. It meant they chose to remain with their master.
Christ's Perfect Obedience
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This passage is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He didn't come to offer endless sacrifices, but to fulfill God's will completely. His 'open ear' is His perfect obedience, His willingness to lay down His life as the ultimate sacrifice.
Understand the original words
zebach · Hebrew Noun
Slaughtered animals offered to God; generally refers to gifts or tribute presented to a superior, often in the context of atonement or worship.
minchah · Hebrew Noun
A general term for a present or tribute; in Levitical law, it often refers specifically to grain or non-animal offerings.
olah · Hebrew Noun
A sacrifice entirely consumed by fire to express total devotion and surrender to God; it represents the dedication of the whole person.
chatta'ah · Hebrew Noun
A specific sacrifice intended to make atonement for unintentional sins, seeking to restore the relationship between God and the sinner.
This psalm, particularly verse 6, was understood by early Christians, notably through the Apostle Paul's interpretation in Hebrews, as a Messianic prophecy. It contrasts the inadequacy of animal sacrifices with the perfect obedience and ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, signifying a shift from ritualistic worship to a deeper, spiritual fulfillment of God's will.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Flourishes
The Psalms, including Psalm 40, are traditionally attributed to King David during a period of Israel's relative stability and prosperity under his rule and that of his immediate successors.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following the reign of Solomon, the united kingdom of Israel splits into the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah). This division profoundly impacted Israel's religious and political landscape.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants. This event served as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
586 BC
Babylonian Exile Begins
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling a significant portion of the Judean population. This marked a profound crisis in Israel's religious life, leading to a re-evaluation of worship and covenant.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Under the decree of Cyrus the Great of Persia, many Judeans are permitted to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the Temple. This marked a new era of worship focused on the restored Temple.
c. 20 BC - AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
The New Testament presents Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, including passages like Psalm 40:6-8, where his obedience and sacrificial death are seen as surpassing the Levitical sacrifices.
c. AD 60-62
Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews
The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 40:6-8 in Hebrews 10:5-7, explicitly applying it to Christ's incarnation and the offering of his body, highlighting the superiority of Christ's sacrifice over Old Testament rituals.
This New Testament passage directly quotes and interprets Psalm 40:6, explaining its ultimate fulfillment in Christ's sacrificial offering of His body.
1 Samuel 15:22This earlier passage echoes the sentiment that obedience is more pleasing to God than sacrifice, highlighting a consistent theme in Scripture about the heart's posture over ritual performance.
Isaiah 50:5This prophetic passage speaks of the Suffering Servant having His ears opened to hear and obey God's commands, paralleling the idea of a willing servant ready to follow God's will.
Exodus 21:5-6This Old Testament law describes the symbolic act of boring a servant's ear to signify perpetual service, which many commentators connect to the psalmist's declaration of devotion to God.
Matthew 9:13Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 ('I desire mercy, and not sacrifice') to the Pharisees, reinforcing the idea that God prioritizes genuine compassion and obedience over mere ritualistic observance.
clarkePsalms 40:6: "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required."
Sacrifice and offering - The apostle, Hebrews 10:5 , etc., quoting this and the two following verses, says, When he (the Messiah) cometh into the world - was about to be incarnated, He saith - to God the Father, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not - it was never thy will and design that the sacrifices under thy own law should be considered as makin…
bensonPsalms 40:6: "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required."
Psalm 40:6 . Sacrifice, &c. — These and the four following verses may, in an improper sense, belong to the person and time of David; when God might be said, not to desire, or require, legal sacrifices, comparatively. So the sense is, Thou didst desire obedience more, or rather, than sacrifices, as was said 1 Samuel 15:22 . But in a proper and full sens…
What's easily missed is how the verse emphasizes obedience through the imagery of "open ears," suggesting a radical receptivity to God's word. This isn't just about hearing; it's about ears being specially prepared or "dug" for the purpose of listening and obeying, pointing to a willing submission far beyond mere ritual.
This psalm, spoken from David's perspective, expresses deep gratitude for God's deliverance from a terrible situation, possibly a serious illness or being brought back from the brink of death. The verses immediately preceding this one describe God rescuing him from this pit of despair and setting his feet firmly on solid ground. This passage then shifts to explain how God has truly accepted his worship, emphasizing a willing obedience over mere ritual sacrifices.
This psalm, spoken from David's perspective, expresses deep gratitude for God's deliverance from a terrible situation, possibly a serious illness or being brought back from the brink of death. The verses immediately preceding this one describe God rescuing him from this pit of despair and setting his feet firmly on solid ground. This passage then shifts to explain how God has truly accepted his worship, emphasizing a willing obedience over mere ritual sacrifices.
"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." — What's easily missed is how the verse emphasizes obedience through the imagery of "open ears," suggesting a radical receptivity to God's word. This isn't just about hearing; it's about ears being spe…
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Last reviewed October 2026