by Robert Fudge

6 Sacrifice and meal offering Thou hast not desired; My ears Thou hast opened; Burnt offering and sin offering Thou hast not required. 7 Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me; 8 I delight to do Thy will, O my God; Thy Law is within my heart." 9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O LORD, Thou knowest. 10 I have not hidden Thy righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation; I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.

A part of this passage is quoted in the Hebrews 10 and is applied to Jesus and his saving sacrifice on the cross. In the Old Testament the Jews were required to offer a lot of different sacrifices. These are given in great detail in the Law of Moses. What David realized was that what God really wanted was not sacrifices, but obedience. This same principle is given in 1 Samuel 15:22. And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. Actually those who have children understand this principle. Would you rather have a child who does not do what you tell them and then come and apologize for doing wrong or would you rather have one who just does what they are told? The answer is obvious. God wants us to do his will, not fail and then have to ask for his forgiveness. But God knows the heart of man (he made us) so he gave his Son as the forever sacrifice for us to be forgiven. (Read Hebrews 10 for a fuller study of the contrast between O.T. sacrifices and the sacrifice of Jesus.)

While the first part of this is Messianic, it was written to apply to David originally. David loved to do the will of God and he gives the reason for this. “Thy Law is within my heart.” When we allow God’s word to fill our hearts by studying it, we will learn to delight in doing it. Too many of us are afraid to study it too much because we feel totally inadequate in understanding it and applying it. Just remember how little you knew when you started to kindergarten. But one day at a time you learned letters, numbers, and then phonics and counting. Then you learned to use this to read and add. Finally you made it to the first grade, and then to the second and so on. Even if you hold a PhD, it came one day at a time. It is like in math and science; to be able to apply it you must first learn the facts and then the principles. As you learn more, these begin to fit together until finally that proverbial “light bulb” comes on and you understand what it is all about. So it is with knowing the will of God. Someone has said that “deep truths are simple truths put together.” We need to just take the time to study it and read it more. The more we know the more we will want to know. The more we know the more will delight in doing the will of God.

Let’s each of us determine to study the will of God and to put it into practice more each day. Then if we do fail, we can know that God has given Jesus as a sacrifice so that our sins can be forgiven. We will close with this from Romans 11:33-36. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

May God bless you today.