Psalms 51:16

“For thou desirest not sacrifice, etc.] Legal sacrifice; for there was no sacrifice appointed under the law for murder and adultery; else would I give [it]; he would gladly have offered it up; thou delightest not in burnt offering; at least such kind of sacrifices, though they were of divine appointment, and at that time in full force and use; yet they were not the only and principal sacrifices God desired and delighted in; nor were they at all acceptable to him without faith in Christ, and an humble sense of sin; and when offered in the best manner, yet spiritual obedience, acts of mercy, and sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, were more pleasing to him, (<091515>1 Samuel 15:15,22…”

“Praise is better than sacrifice (Psa 50:14), and implying faith, penitence, and love, glorifies God. In true penitents the joys of pardon mingle with sorrow for sin.”

“For thou desirest not sacrifice ... - On the words rendered in this verse “sacrifice” and “burnt-offering,” see the notes at Isaiah 1:11. On the main sentiment here expressed - that God did not “desire” such sacrifices - see the notes at Psalms 40:6-8. The idea here is, that any mere external offering, however precious or costly it might be, was not what God required in such cases. He demanded the expression of deep and sincere repentance; the sacrifices of a contrite heart and of a broken spirit: Psalms 51:17. No offering without this could be acceptable; nothing without this could secure pardon. In mere outward sacrifices - in bloody offerings themselves, unaccompanied with the expression…”

“Not sacrifice - This is not to be understood absolutely, with respect to David's crimes, which were not to be expiated by any sacrifice. Psalms 51:17”

“desirest: Psa 51:6; Exo 21:14; Num 15:27, Num 15:30, Num 15:31, Num 35:31; Deu 22:22; Hos 6:6 else would I: or, that I should delightest: Psa 40:6, Psa 50:8; Pro 15:8, Pro 21:27; Isa 1:11-15; Jer 7:22, Jer 7:23, Jer 7:27; Amo 5:21-23; Heb 10:5, Heb 10:6 Psalms 51:17”