You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart— these, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:16-17)
When you consider all the different sacrifices and offerings described in the Law of Moses — those that address transgressions — with only a few minor exceptions, all of them are for unintentional sins. In other words, there are no offerings or sacrifices that provide a recourse for deliberate and intentional sin. And so, what was a person to do if they had consciously made a decision to do what they knew to be wrong? This issue is, in part, what David alluded to when he said, “You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it.” He understood that the nature of his sin was such that there was no prescribed sacrifice of bulls, lambs or goats that would suffice.
That being said, the man after God’s own heart understood that the only recourse was humility and contrition. He acknowledged that, where animal sacrifices fall short, one who is willing to confess his wrong with a broken spirit can touch the heart of God. In fact years before, David had written these words: “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18). In another psalm he had declared, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears You have opened” (Psalm 40:6). David’s spiritual hearing permitted him to understand that all the sacrifices for unintentional sin were meant to teach the discerning person that all God really wants is our heart — broken, humbled and submissive to His Will.
Given that the heart of man is the repository of desire, it is critical that we allow our hearts to be broken, and by that I mean, allow our will and desires to be broken. If not, our will rules our heart and life, which is a recipe for a different kind of heartbreak and the misery that goes with it. On the other hand, when we present ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice — broken, humbled and repentant — God will not reject our offering. Through His Son, we have access to mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation. And on that note, we should forever be grateful for the sacrifice made by the Messiah, who atoned for all our sins — the unintentional transgressions and those we were committed deliberately. Thank God for the blood of Messiah.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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