Psalms 51:19

Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — David addresses God in the wake of his confession, looking ahead to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the resumption of temple worship.

The words — תַּחְפֹּ֣ץ (tach.Potz) = you will delight in; צֶ֭דֶק (Tze.dek) = righteousness. The text states that God's pleasure in sacrifice is contingent upon the moral condition of the worshipper.

The thread — The connection between purified worship and divine acceptance runs through Psalms 4:5, Malachi 3:3, and Ephesians 5:2.

Why it lands — It demands that readers examine their own moral state before approaching ritual, recognizing that external devotion cannot substitute for internal integrity.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אָ֤ז'azthen תַּחְפֹּ֣ץtach.Potzyou will delight in זִבְחֵי־ziv.chei-sacrifices of צֶ֭דֶקTze.dekrighteousness עוֹלָ֣הo.Lahburnt offering וְכָלִ֑ילve./kha.Liland/ whole offering אָ֤ז'azthen יַעֲל֖וּya.'a.Lupeople will offer up עַל־'al-on מִזְבַּחֲךָ֣miz.ba.cha./Khaaltar/ your פָרִֽים׃fa.Rimyoung bulls

King James Version

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Cross-references

Psalms 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD.
Malachi 3:3 And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.
Ephesians 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
Psalms 66:13 I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You—
Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Psalms 118:27 The LORD is God; He has made His light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.