Psalms

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Psalm 40

1 For the music director, a psalm of David. I relied completely on the Lord, and he turned toward me and heard my cry for help. 2 He lifted me out of the watery pit, out of the slimy mud. He placed my feet on a rock and gave me secure footing. 3 He gave me reason to sing a new song, praising our God. May many see what God has done, so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord. 4 How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord and does not seek help from the proud or from liars. 5 O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things; you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us. No one can thwart you. I want to declare your deeds and talk about them, but they are too numerous to recount. 6 Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. Ears you hollowed out for me.¹⁸⁠ You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.⁠ 7 Then I say, “Look, I come! What is written in the scroll pertains to me. 8 I want to do what pleases you, my God. Your law dominates my thoughts.” 9 I have told the great assembly about your justice. Look, I spare no words. O Lord, you know this is true. 10 I have not failed to tell about your justice; I spoke about your reliability and deliverance. I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness. 11 O Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me. May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me! 12 For innumerable dangers surround me. My sins overtake me so I am unable to see; they outnumber the hairs of my head so my strength fails me. 13 Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me! O Lord, hurry and help me! 14 May those who are trying to snatch away my life be totally embarrassed and ashamed. May those who want to harm me be turned back and ashamed. 15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be humiliated and disgraced. 16 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you. May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually, “May the Lord be praised!” 17 I am oppressed and needy. May the Lord pay attention to me. You are my helper and my deliverer. O my God, do not delay.

Texts in conversation

Compare Isaiah 1:11 and Psalm 40:6

Hebrew Bible

Summary

Isaiah and the Psalms question the importance of animal sacrifice, suggesting that genuine faith is shown through obedience rather than ritual. They share an evolving view that devotion is about living justly and responsibly, not just performing ritual.

Passages

Isaiah 1:11

Hebrew Bible

9 If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had not left us a few survivors, we would have quickly been like Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah. 10 Listen to the Lord’s message, you leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, people of Gomorrah! 11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I have had my fill of burnt sacrifices, of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want. 12 When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this—animals trampling on my courtyards? 13 Do not bring any more meaningless offerings; I consider your incense detestable! You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!

740–450 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Isaiah

Psalm 40:6

Hebrew Bible

4 How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord and does not seek help from the proud or from liars. 5 O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things; you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us. No one can thwart you. I want to declare your deeds and talk about them, but they are too numerous to recount. 6 Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. Ears you hollowed out for me.¹⁸ You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings. 7 Then I say, “Look, I come! What is written in the scroll pertains to me. 8 I want to do what pleases you, my God. Your law dominates my thoughts.”

600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

References

"... Perhaps the best known Old Testament text on this subject is Hosea 6:6: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than holocausts.” The conjunction of “mercy” and “knowledge of God” is especially suggestive, since one could see in (or read into?) these two phrases summaries (granted, in reverse order) of the two commandments of love. Other texts extolling obedience toward God, justice toward one’s neighbors, or some other value over sacrifice and ritual include 1 Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:11–17; Jeremiah 6:20; 7:22–23; Amos 5:21–25; Micah 6:6–8; Psalm 40:6–8; Psalm 51:16–17; Proverbs 21:3. Hence, there is no need to see the emphasis on the superiority of love over sacrifice (“critique of cult”) in Mark 12:28–34 as an indication that the story is stamped by the ideology of “Hellenistic [i.e., Diaspora] Judaism.” ..."

John P. Meier, A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus, Volume 4: Law and Love (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009), 595.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Psalms150 psalms

Compare Isaiah 1:11 and Psalm 40:6

Summary

Passages

Isaiah 1:11

Psalm 40:6

References

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