Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Hosea 6:6 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ho 6:6	Strong Concordance	For I desired [02654] mercy [02617], and not sacrifice [02077]; and the knowledge [01847] of God [0430] more than burnt offerings [05930].
	King James	For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
mercy--put for piety in general, of which mercy or charity is a branch. not sacrifice--that is, "rather than sacrifice." So "not" is merely comparative (Exo 16:8; Joe 2:13; Joh 6:27; Ti1 2:14). As God Himself instituted sacrifices, it cannot mean that He desired them not absolutely, but that even in the Old Testament, He valued moral obedience as the only end for which positive ordinances, such as sacrifices, were instituted--as of more importance than a mere external ritual obedience (Sa1 15:22; Psa 50:8-9; Psa 51:16; Isa 1:11-12; Mic 6:6-8; Mat 9:13; Mat 12:7). knowledge of God--experimental and practical, not merely theoretical (Hos 6:3; Jer 22:16; Jo1 2:3-4). "Mercy" refers to the second table of the law, our duty to our fellow man; "the knowledge of God" to the first table, our duty to God, including inward spiritual worship. The second table is put first, not as superior in dignity, for it is secondary, but in the order of our understanding.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

mercy--put for piety in general, of which mercy or charity is a branch.

not sacrifice--that is, "rather than sacrifice." So "not" is merely comparative (Exo 16:8; Joe 2:13; Joh 6:27; Ti1 2:14). As God Himself instituted sacrifices, it cannot mean that He desired them not absolutely, but that even in the Old Testament, He valued moral obedience as the only end for which positive ordinances, such as sacrifices, were instituted--as of more importance than a mere external ritual obedience (Sa1 15:22; Psa 50:8-9; Psa 51:16; Isa 1:11-12; Mic 6:6-8; Mat 9:13; Mat 12:7).

knowledge of God--experimental and practical, not merely theoretical (Hos 6:3; Jer 22:16; Jo1 2:3-4). "Mercy" refers to the second table of the law, our duty to our fellow man; "the knowledge of God" to the first table, our duty to God, including inward spiritual worship. The second table is put first, not as superior in dignity, for it is secondary, but in the order of our understanding.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
For I desired mercy and not sacrifice - God had said before, that they should "seek" Him "with their flocks and herds, and not find" Him. So here He anticipates their excuses with the same answer wherewith He met those of Saul, when he would compensate for disobedience by burnt-offerings. The answer is, that all which they did to win His favor, or turn aside His wrath, was of no avail, while they willfully withheld what He required of them. Their mercy and goodness were but a brief, passing, show; in vain He had tried to awaken them by His prophets; therefore judgment was coming upon them, for, to turn it aside, they had offered Him what He desired not, sacrifices without love, and had not offered Him, what He did desire, love of man out of love for God. God had Himself, after the fall, enjoined sacrifice, to foreshow and plead to Himself the meritorious Sacrifice of Christ. "He" had not contrasted "mercy" and "sacrifice," who enjoined them both. When then they were contrasted, it was through man's severing what God united. If we were to say, "Charity is better than Church-going," we should be understood to mean that it is better than such Church-going as is severed from charity. For, if they were united, they would not be contrasted. The soul is of more value than the body. But it is not contrasted, unless they come in competition with one another, and their interests (although they cannot in trust "be,") "seem" to be separated. in itself, "Sacrifice" represented all the direct duties to God, all the duties of the first table. For Sacrifice owned Him as the One God, to whom, as His creatures, we owe and offer all; as His guilty creatures, it owned that we owed to Him our lives also. "mercy" represented all duties of the second table. In saying then, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice," he says, in effect, the same as John, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar, for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" Jo1 4:20. As the love, which a man pretended to have for God, was not real love, if a man loved not his brother, so "sacrifice" was not an offering, to God at all, while man withheld from God that offering, which God most required of him, the oblation of man's own self. They were, rather, offerings to satisfy and bribe a man's own conscience. Yet the Jews were profuse in making these sacrifices, which cost them little hoping thereby to secure to themselves impunity the wrongful gains, oppressions, and fulnesses which they would not part with. It is with this contrast, that God so often rejects the sacrifices of the Jews, "To what purpose is the multitude of your oblations unto Me? Bring no more vain oblations unto Me; new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; iniquity and the solemn meeting" Isa 1:11-13. "I spake not to your fathers, nor commanded them, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices; but this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people" Jer 7:22-23. And the Psalmist; "I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt-offerings, to have been continually before Me. Offer unto God thanksgiving, etc. But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do, to declare My statutes, etc." Psa 1:1-6, Psa 8:1-9, Psa 14:1-7, Psa 16:1-11. But, further, the prophet adds, "and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings." The two parts of the verse fill out one another, and the latter explains the former. "The knowledge of God" is, as before, no inactive head-knowledge, but that knowledge, of which John speaks, "Hereby we do know that we knew Him, if we keep His commandments" Eph 2:3. It is a knowledge, such as they alone can have, who love God and do His will. God says then, that He prefers the inward, loving, knowledge of Himself, and lovingkindness toward man, above the outward means of acceptableness with Himself, which He had appointed. He does not lower those His own appointments; but only when, emptied of the spirit of devotion, they were lifeless bodies, unensouled by His grace. Yet the words of God go beyond the immediate occasion and bearing, in which they were first spoken. And so these words, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice" Mat 9:13, are a sort of sacred proverb, contrasting "mercy," which overflows the bounds of strict justice, with "sacrifice," which represents that stern justice. Thus, when the Pharisees complained at our Lord for eating with Publicans and sinners, He bade them, "Go and learn what that meaneth. I will have mercy and not sacrifice." He bade them learn that deeper meaning of the words, that God valued mercy for the souls for which Christ died, above that outward propriety, that He, the All-Holy, should not feast familiarly with those who profaned God's law and themselves. Again, when they found fault with the hungry disciples for breaking the sabbath by rubbing the ears of grain, He, in the same way, tells them, that they did not know the real meaning of that saying. "If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless" Mat 12:7. For as, before, they were envious as to mercy to the souls of sinners, so how they were reckless as to others' bodily needs. Without that love then, which shows itself in acts of mercy to the souls and bodies of people, all sacrifice is useless. "Mercy" is also more comprehensive than "sacrifice." For sacrifice was referred to God only, as its end; "mercy," or love of man for the love of God, obeys God who commands it; imitates God, "Whose property it is always to have mercy;" seeks God who rewards it; promotes the glory of God, through the thanksgiving to God, from those whom it benefits. "mercy leads man up to God, for mercy brought down God to man; mercy humbled God, exalts man." mercy takes Christ as its pattern, who, from His Holy Incarnation to His Precious Death on the Cross, "bare our griefs, and carried our sorrows" Isa 53:4. Yet neither does mercy itself avail without true knowledge of God. For as mercy or love is the soul of all our acts, so true knowledge of God and faith in God are the source and soul of love. "Vain were it to boast that we have the other members, if faith, the head, were cut off" .

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

For I desired mercy and not sacrifice - God had said before, that they should "seek" Him "with their flocks and herds, and not find" Him. So here He anticipates their excuses with the same answer wherewith He met those of Saul, when he would compensate for disobedience by burnt-offerings. The answer is, that all which they did to win His favor, or turn aside His wrath, was of no avail, while they willfully withheld what He required of them. Their mercy and goodness were but a brief, passing, show; in vain He had tried to awaken them by His prophets; therefore judgment was coming upon them, for, to turn it aside, they had offered Him what He desired not, sacrifices without love, and had not offered Him, what He did desire, love of man out of love for God. God had Himself, after the fall, enjoined sacrifice, to foreshow and plead to Himself the meritorious Sacrifice of Christ. "He" had not contrasted "mercy" and "sacrifice," who enjoined them both.

When then they were contrasted, it was through man's severing what God united. If we were to say, "Charity is better than Church-going," we should be understood to mean that it is better than such Church-going as is severed from charity. For, if they were united, they would not be contrasted. The soul is of more value than the body. But it is not contrasted, unless they come in competition with one another, and their interests (although they cannot in trust "be,") "seem" to be separated. in itself, "Sacrifice" represented all the direct duties to God, all the duties of the first table. For Sacrifice owned Him as the One God, to whom, as His creatures, we owe and offer all; as His guilty creatures, it owned that we owed to Him our lives also. "mercy" represented all duties of the second table. In saying then, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice," he says, in effect, the same as John, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar, for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" Jo1 4:20.

As the love, which a man pretended to have for God, was not real love, if a man loved not his brother, so "sacrifice" was not an offering, to God at all, while man withheld from God that offering, which God most required of him, the oblation of man's own self. They were, rather, offerings to satisfy and bribe a man's own conscience. Yet the Jews were profuse in making these sacrifices, which cost them little hoping thereby to secure to themselves impunity the wrongful gains, oppressions, and fulnesses which they would not part with. It is with this contrast, that God so often rejects the sacrifices of the Jews, "To what purpose is the multitude of your oblations unto Me? Bring no more vain oblations unto Me; new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; iniquity and the solemn meeting" Isa 1:11-13. "I spake not to your fathers, nor commanded them, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices; but this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people" Jer 7:22-23. And the Psalmist; "I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt-offerings, to have been continually before Me. Offer unto God thanksgiving, etc. But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do, to declare My statutes, etc." Psa 1:1-6, Psa 8:1-9, Psa 14:1-7, Psa 16:1-11.

But, further, the prophet adds, "and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings." The two parts of the verse fill out one another, and the latter explains the former. "The knowledge of God" is, as before, no inactive head-knowledge, but that knowledge, of which John speaks, "Hereby we do know that we knew Him, if we keep His commandments" Eph 2:3. It is a knowledge, such as they alone can have, who love God and do His will. God says then, that He prefers the inward, loving, knowledge of Himself, and lovingkindness toward man, above the outward means of acceptableness with Himself, which He had appointed. He does not lower those His own appointments; but only when, emptied of the spirit of devotion, they were lifeless bodies, unensouled by His grace.

Yet the words of God go beyond the immediate occasion and bearing, in which they were first spoken. And so these words, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice" Mat 9:13, are a sort of sacred proverb, contrasting "mercy," which overflows the bounds of strict justice, with "sacrifice," which represents that stern justice. Thus, when the Pharisees complained at our Lord for eating with Publicans and sinners, He bade them, "Go and learn what that meaneth. I will have mercy and not sacrifice." He bade them learn that deeper meaning of the words, that God valued mercy for the souls for which Christ died, above that outward propriety, that He, the All-Holy, should not feast familiarly with those who profaned God's law and themselves. Again, when they found fault with the hungry disciples for breaking the sabbath by rubbing the ears of grain, He, in the same way, tells them, that they did not know the real meaning of that saying. "If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless" Mat 12:7. For as, before, they were envious as to mercy to the souls of sinners, so how they were reckless as to others' bodily needs. Without that love then, which shows itself in acts of mercy to the souls and bodies of people, all sacrifice is useless.

"Mercy" is also more comprehensive than "sacrifice." For sacrifice was referred to God only, as its end; "mercy," or love of man for the love of God, obeys God who commands it; imitates God, "Whose property it is always to have mercy;" seeks God who rewards it; promotes the glory of God, through the thanksgiving to God, from those whom it benefits. "mercy leads man up to God, for mercy brought down God to man; mercy humbled God, exalts man." mercy takes Christ as its pattern, who, from His Holy Incarnation to His Precious Death on the Cross, "bare our griefs, and carried our sorrows" Isa 53:4. Yet neither does mercy itself avail without true knowledge of God. For as mercy or love is the soul of all our acts, so true knowledge of God and faith in God are the source and soul of love. "Vain were it to boast that we have the other members, if faith, the head, were cut off" .

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The reason why God was obliged to punish in this manner is given in the following verses. Hos 6:6. "For I take pleasure in love, and not in sacrifices; and in the knowledge of God more than in burnt-offerings. Hos 6:7. But they have transgressed the covenant like Adam: there have they acted treacherously towards me." Chesed is love to one's neighbour, manifesting itself in righteousness, love which has its roots in the knowledge of God, and therefore is connected with "the knowledge of God" here as in Hos 4:1. For the thought itself, compare the remarks on the similar declaration made by the prophet Samuel in Sa1 15:22; and for parallels as to the fact, see Isa 1:11-17; Mic 6:8; Psa 40:7-9, and Psa 50:8., in all which passages it is not sacrifices in themselves, but simply the heartless sacrifices with which the wicked fancied they could cover their sins, that are here rejected as displeasing to God, and as abominations in His eyes. This is apparent also from the antithesis in Hos 6:7, viz., the reproof of their transgression of the covenant. המּה (they) are Israel and Judah, not the priests, whose sins are first referred to in Hos 6:9. כּאדם, not "after the manner of men," or "like ordinary men," - for this explanation would only be admissible if המּה referred to the priests or prophets, or if a contrast were drawn between the rulers and others, as in Psa 82:7 - but "like Adam," who transgressed the commandment of God, that he should not eat of the tree of knowledge. This command was actually a covenant, which God made with him, since the object of its was the preservation of Adam in vital fellowship with the Lord, as was the case with the covenant that God made with Israel (see Job 31:33, and Delitzsch's Commentary). The local expression "there," points to the place where the faithless apostasy had occurred, as in Psa 14:5. This is not more precisely defined, but refers no doubt to Bethel as the scene of the idolatrous worship. There is no foundation for the temporal rendering "then."

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
For - I so hewed and slew them, because they did not what I most of all required; they were full of sacrifices, but either to idols, or else in formality and pride. Mercy - Compassion and charity towards men, this one principal duty of the second table put for all. In this I delight, I have found little of this among you. Not sacrifice - Rather than sacrifice. The knowledge of God - The affectionate knowledge of God, which fills the mind with reverence of his majesty, fear of his goodness, love of his holiness, trust in his promise, and submission to his will.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
I desired mercy, and not sacrifice - I taught them righteousness by my prophets; for I desired mercy. I was more willing to save than to destroy; and would rather see them full of penitent and holy resolutions, than behold them offering the best and most numerous victims upon my altar. See Mat 9:13.

Top

³ And [2532] hereby [1722] [5129] we do know [1097] that [3754] we know [1097] him [846], if [1437] we keep [5083] his [846] commandments [1785].
⁴ He that saith [3004], I know [1097] him [846], and [2532] keepeth [5083] not [3361] his [846] commandments [1785], is [2076] a liar [5583], and [2532] the truth [225] is [2076] not [3756] in [1722] him [5129].

¹⁶ He judged [01777] the cause [01779] of the poor [06041] and needy [034]; then it was well [02896] with him: was not this to know [01847] me? saith [05002] the LORD [03068].

³ Then shall we know [03045], if we follow [07291] on to know [03045] the LORD [03068]: his going forth [04161] is prepared [03559] as the morning [07837]; and he shall come [0935] unto us as the rain [01653], as the latter [04456] and former rain [03384] unto the earth [0776].

⁷ But [1161] if [1487] ye had known [1097] what [5101] this meaneth [2076], I will have [2309] mercy [1656], and [2532] not [3756] sacrifice [2378], ye would [302] not [3756] have condemned [2613] the guiltless [338].

¹³ But [1161] go ye [4198] and learn [3129] what [5101] that meaneth [2076], I will [2309] have mercy [1656], and [2532] not [3756] sacrifice [2378]: for [1063] I am [2064] not [3756] come [2064] to call [2564] the righteous [1342], but [235] sinners [268] to [1519] repentance [3341].

⁶ Wherewith shall I come before [06923] the LORD [03068], and bow [03721] myself before the high [04791] God [0430]? shall I come before [06923] him with burnt offerings [05930], with calves [05695] of a year [08141] old [01121]?
⁷ Will the LORD [03068] be pleased [07521] with thousands [0505] of rams [0352], or with ten thousands [07233] of rivers [05158] of oil [08081]? shall I give [05414] my firstborn [01060] for my transgression [06588], the fruit [06529] of my body [0990] for the sin [02403] of my soul [05315]?
⁸ He hath shewed [05046] thee, O man [0120], what is good [02896]; and what doth the LORD [03068] require [01875] of thee, but to do [06213] justly [04941], and to love [0160] mercy [02617], and to walk [03212] humbly [06800] with thy God [0430]?

¹⁶ For thou desirest [02654] not sacrifice [02077]; else would I give [05414] it: thou delightest [07521] not in burnt offering [05930].

⁸ I will not reprove [03198] thee for thy sacrifices [02077] or thy burnt offerings [05930], to have been continually [08548] before me.
⁹ I will take [03947] no bullock [06499] out of thy house [01004], nor he goats [06260] out of thy folds [04356].

²² And Samuel [08050] said [0559], Hath the LORD [03068] as great delight [02656] in burnt offerings [05930] and sacrifices [02077], as in obeying [08085] the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068]? Behold, to obey [08085] is better [02896] than sacrifice [02077], and to hearken [07181] than the fat [02459] of rams [0352].

¹⁴ And [2532] Adam [76] was [538] not [3756] deceived [538], but [1161] the woman [1135] being deceived [538] was [1096] in [1722] the transgression [3847].

²⁷ Labour [2038] not [3361] for the meat [1035] which [3588] perisheth [622], but [235] for that meat [1035] which [3588] endureth [3306] unto [1519] everlasting [166] life [2222], which [3739] the Son [5207] of man [444] shall give [1325] unto you [5213]: for [1063] him [5126] hath [4972] God [2316] the Father [3962] sealed [4972].

¹³ And rend [07167] your heart [03824], and not your garments [0899], and turn [07725] unto the LORD [03068] your God [0430]: for he is gracious [02587] and merciful [07349], slow [0750] to anger [0639], and of great [07227] kindness [02617], and repenteth [05162] him of the evil [07451].

⁸ And Moses [04872] said [0559], This shall be, when the LORD [03068] shall give [05414] you in the evening [06153] flesh [01320] to eat [0398], and in the morning [01242] bread [03899] to the full [07646]; for that the LORD [03068] heareth [08085] your murmurings [08519] which ye murmur [03885] against him: and what are we [05168]? your murmurings [08519] are not against us, but against the LORD [03068].

⁴ Surely [0403] he hath borne [05375] our griefs [02483], and carried [05445] our sorrows [04341]: yet we did esteem [02803] him stricken [05060], smitten [05221] of God [0430], and afflicted [06031].

³ Among [1722] whom [3739] also [2532] we [2249] all [3956] had our conversation [390] in times past [4218] in [1722] the lusts [1939] of our [2257] flesh [4561], fulfilling [4160] the desires [2307] of the flesh [4561] and [2532] of the mind [1271]; and [2532] were [2258] by nature [5449] the children [5043] of wrath [3709], even [2532] as [5613] others [3062].

¹ Michtam [04387] of David [01732]. Preserve [08104] me, O God [0410]: for in thee do I put my trust [02620].
² O my soul, thou hast said [0559] unto the LORD [03068], Thou art my Lord [0136]: my goodness [02896] extendeth not to thee;
³ But to the saints [06918] that [01992] are in the earth [0776], and to the excellent [0117], in whom is all my delight [02656].
⁴ Their sorrows [06094] shall be multiplied [07235] that hasten [04116] after another [0312] god: their drink offerings [05262] of blood [01818] will I not offer [05258], nor [01077] take up [05375] their names [08034] into my lips [08193].
⁵ The LORD [03068] is the portion [04490] of mine inheritance [02506] and of my cup [03563]: thou maintainest [08551] my lot [01486].
⁶ The lines [02256] are fallen [05307] unto me in pleasant [05273] places; yea, I have a goodly [08231] heritage [05159].
⁷ I will bless [01288] the LORD [03068], who hath given me counsel [03289]: my reins [03629] also instruct [03256] me in the night seasons [03915].
⁸ I have set [07737] the LORD [03068] always [08548] before me: because he is at my right hand [03225], I shall not be moved [04131].
⁹ Therefore my heart [03820] is glad [08055], and my glory [03519] rejoiceth [01523]: my flesh [01320] also shall rest [07931] in hope [0983].
¹⁰ For thou wilt not leave [05800] my soul [05315] in hell [07585]; neither wilt thou suffer [05414] thine Holy One [02623] to see [07200] corruption [07845].
¹¹ Thou wilt shew [03045] me the path [0734] of life [02416]: in thy presence [06440] is fulness [07648] of joy [08057]; at thy right hand [03225] there are pleasures [05273] for evermore [05331].

¹ To the chief Musician [05329], A Psalm of David [01732]. The fool [05036] hath said [0559] in his heart [03820], There is no God [0430]. They are corrupt [07843], they have done abominable [08581] works [05949], there is none that doeth [06213] good [02896].
² The LORD [03068] looked down [08259] from heaven [08064] upon the children [01121] of men [0120], to see [07200] if there [03426] were any that did understand [07919], and seek [01875] God [0430].
³ They are all gone aside [05493], they are all together [03162] become filthy [0444]: there is none that doeth [06213] good [02896], no, not one [0259].
⁴ Have all the workers [06466] of iniquity [0205] no knowledge [03045]? who eat up [0398] my people [05971] as they eat [0398] bread [03899], and call [07121] not upon the LORD [03068].
⁵ There were they in great [06343] fear [06342]: for God [0430] is in the generation [01755] of the righteous [06662].
⁶ Ye have shamed [0954] the counsel [06098] of the poor [06041], because the LORD [03068] is his refuge [04268].
⁷ Oh that [05414] the salvation [03444] of Israel [03478] were come out of Zion [06726]! when the LORD [03068] bringeth back [07725] the captivity [07622] of his people [05971], Jacob [03290] shall rejoice [01523], and Israel [03478] shall be glad [08055].

¹ To the chief Musician [05329] upon Gittith [01665], A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. O LORD [03068] our Lord [0113], how excellent [0117] is thy name [08034] in all the earth [0776]! who hast set [05414] thy glory [01935] above the heavens [08064].
² Out of the mouth [06310] of babes [05768] and sucklings [03243] hast thou ordained [03245] strength [05797] because of thine enemies [06887], that thou mightest still [07673] the enemy [0341] and the avenger [05358].
³ When I consider [07200] thy heavens [08064], the work [04639] of thy fingers [0676], the moon [03394] and the stars [03556], which thou hast ordained [03559];
⁴ What is man [0582], that thou art mindful [02142] of him? and the son [01121] of man [0120], that thou visitest [06485] him?
⁵ For thou hast made him a little [04592] lower [02637] than the angels [0430], and hast crowned [05849] him with glory [03519] and honour [01926].
⁶ Thou madest him to have dominion [04910] over the works [04639] of thy hands [03027]; thou hast put [07896] all things under his feet [07272]:
⁷ All sheep [06792] and oxen [0504], yea, and the beasts [0929] of the field [07704];
⁸ The fowl [06833] of the air [08064], and the fish [01709] of the sea [03220], and whatsoever passeth through [05674] the paths [0734] of the seas [03220].
⁹ O LORD [03068] our Lord [0113], how excellent [0117] is thy name [08034] in all the earth [0776]!

¹ Blessed [0835] is the man [0376] that walketh [01980] not in the counsel [06098] of the ungodly [07563], nor standeth [05975] in the way [01870] of sinners [02400], nor sitteth [03427] in the seat [04186] of the scornful [03887].
² But his delight [02656] is in the law [08451] of the LORD [03068]; and in his law [08451] doth he meditate [01897] day [03119] and night [03915].
³ And he shall be like a tree [06086] planted [08362] by the rivers [06388] of water [04325], that bringeth forth [05414] his fruit [06529] in his season [06256]; his leaf [05929] also shall not wither [05034]; and whatsoever he doeth [06213] shall prosper [06743].
⁴ The ungodly [07563] are not so: but are like the chaff [04671] which the wind [07307] driveth away [05086].
⁵ Therefore the ungodly [07563] shall not stand [06965] in the judgment [04941], nor sinners [02400] in the congregation [05712] of the righteous [06662].
⁶ For the LORD [03068] knoweth [03045] the way [01870] of the righteous [06662]: but the way [01870] of the ungodly [07563] shall perish [06].

²² For I spake [01696] not unto your fathers [01], nor commanded [06680] them in the day [03117] that I brought them out [03318] of the land [0776] of Egypt [04714], concerning [01697] burnt offerings [05930] or sacrifices [02077]:
²³ But this thing [01697] commanded [06680] I them, saying [0559], Obey [08085] my voice [06963], and I will be your God [0430], and ye shall be my people [05971]: and walk [01980] ye in all the ways [01870] that I have commanded [06680] you, that it may be well [03190] unto you.

²⁰ If [1437] a man [5100] say [2036], [3754] I love [25] God [2316], and [2532] hateth [3404] his [846] brother [80], he is [2076] a liar [5583]: for [1063] he that loveth [25] not [3361] his [846] brother [80] whom [3739] he hath seen [3708], how [4459] can [1410] he love [25] God [2316] whom [3739] he hath [3708] not [3756] seen [3708]?

⁵ There were they in great [06343] fear [06342]: for God [0430] is in the generation [01755] of the righteous [06662].

³³ If I covered [03680] my transgressions [06588] as Adam [0121], by hiding [02934] mine iniquity [05771] in my bosom [02243]:

⁷ But [0403] ye shall die [04191] like men [0120], and fall [05307] like one [0259] of the princes [08269].

⁹ And as troops [01416] of robbers wait [02442] for a man [0376], so the company [02267] of priests [03548] murder [07523] in the way [01870] by consent [07926] [07927]: for they commit [06213] lewdness [02154].

⁷ But they like men [0120] have transgressed [05674] the covenant [01285]: there have they dealt treacherously [0898] against me.

⁸ I will not reprove [03198] thee for thy sacrifices [02077] or thy burnt offerings [05930], to have been continually [08548] before me.

⁷ Then said [0559] I, Lo, I come [0935]: in the volume [04039] of the book [05612] it is written [03789] of me,
⁸ I delight [02654] to do [06213] thy will [07522], O my God [0430]: yea, thy law [08451] is within [08432] my heart [04578].
⁹ I have preached [01319] righteousness [06664] in the great [07227] congregation [06951]: lo, I have not refrained [03607] my lips [08193], O LORD [03068], thou knowest [03045].

⁸ He hath shewed [05046] thee, O man [0120], what is good [02896]; and what doth the LORD [03068] require [01875] of thee, but to do [06213] justly [04941], and to love [0160] mercy [02617], and to walk [03212] humbly [06800] with thy God [0430]?

¹¹ To what [04100] purpose is the multitude [07230] of your sacrifices [02077] unto me? saith [0559] the LORD [03068]: I am full [07646] of the burnt offerings [05930] of rams [0352], and the fat [02459] of fed beasts [04806]; and I delight [02654] not in the blood [01818] of bullocks [06499], or of lambs [03532], or of he goats [06260].
¹² When ye come [0935] to appear [07200] before [06440] me, who hath required [01245] this at your hand [03027], to tread [07429] my courts [02691]?
¹³ Bring [0935] no more [03254] vain [07723] oblations [04503]; incense [07004] is an abomination [08441] unto me; the new moons [02320] and sabbaths [07676], the calling [07121] of assemblies [04744], I cannot away with [03201]; it is iniquity [0205], even the solemn meeting [06116].
¹⁴ Your new moons [02320] and your appointed feasts [04150] my soul [05315] hateth [08130]: they are a trouble [02960] unto me; I am weary [03811] to bear [05375] them.
¹⁵ And when ye spread forth [06566] your hands [03709], I will hide [05956] mine eyes [05869] from you: yea, when ye make many [07235] prayers [08605], I will not hear [08085]: your hands [03027] are full [04390] of blood [01818].
¹⁶ Wash [07364] you, make you clean [02135]; put away [05493] the evil [07455] of your doings [04611] from before [05048] mine eyes [05869]; cease [02308] to do evil [07489];
¹⁷ Learn [03925] to do well [03190]; seek [01875] judgment [04941], relieve [0833] the oppressed [02541], judge [08199] the fatherless [03490], plead [07378] for the widow [0490].

¹ Hear [08085] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], ye children [01121] of Israel [03478]: for the LORD [03068] hath a controversy [07379] with the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776], because there is no truth [0571], nor mercy [02617], nor knowledge [01847] of God [0430] in the land [0776].

⁷ But they like men [0120] have transgressed [05674] the covenant [01285]: there have they dealt treacherously [0898] against me.

⁶ For I desired [02654] mercy [02617], and not sacrifice [02077]; and the knowledge [01847] of God [0430] more than burnt offerings [05930].