The Psalm of the Burnt Offering (1) - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2026

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, "Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart."
Psalm 40:6-8 NKJV

The Psalm of the Burnt Offering (1)
Psalm 40 is a messianic psalm because it speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ: His incarnation, the voluntary action of His coming, and the efficacy of His sacrifice.

In verse 6 we learn of the inadequacy of the Levitical sacrifices, "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire." These two refer to the peace offering and the meal offering while the burnt offering and the sin offering are mentioned next, "burnt offering and sin offering You did not require."

Notice that in between these two statements we read, "My ears You have opened." This speaks of the sacrificial, voluntary action of the perfect Servant of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. It reminds us of Exodus 21:1-6, which depicts the servant who loved his master, his wife, and his children, and would not go out free; the master would bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and he would pierce his ear with an awl; then the servant would serve him forever. The Lord Jesus is the perfect Servant of God, as we see in the Servant Songs of Isaiah (Isa. 42, 49, 50, 52-53) and also in the Gospel of Mark.

His purpose for coming into this world was to do the will of Him who sent Him. He could say, "I delight to do Your will, O My God." In Hebrews 10:5, the apostle quotes today's passage as, "A body You have prepared for Me," and in that body our Lord could say, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (Jn. 4:34).

This causes our hearts to ponder the greatness and glory of the Son of God and to pour out the praise of worshiping hearts!

-- Tim Hadley, Sr.