Then shalt Thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt

Then shalt Thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt -offering and whole burnt-offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar/ — Ver. 19.

ITTHEN God in His good pleasure shall do good to” Zion, and shall build the walls of Jerusalem, a glorious time will dawn for the city and the people of God. Then, says David, shalt Thou delight in the sacrifices which shall be brought to Thee, and then shall the people also have delight and offer them with gladness upon Thine altar. In a preceding verse he had said: ‘Thou delightest not in sacrifice.’ In that utterance we found a proof of the deep spiritual insight that David had obtained into the insufficiency of the old covenant sacrifices. God could not take delight in these offerings as such, that is, as the work of man, coupled with so much unrighteousness that they could not take away, and with so much self-righteousness that found its nourishment in them. He had prepared for Himself something higher and better, namely, true obedience and the all-sufficient

H&VE MERCY UPON ME.

sacrifice of His Son (Ps. xl. 7, 8; Heb. x. 5-10). But, lo! David now understands by the self-same Spirit that had made known to him the hidden wisdom of the previous portion of this Psalm, that, when once Zion should again be visited by God, and the good pleasure of God towards her be made manifest, He should again take delight in the sacrifices of righteousness.

Very important lessons are taught us here. We see, first of all, how the worth of our religion depends wholly on our relation to God. The very same Psalm which says: ‘Thou delightest not in sacrifice,5 says again at a later turn: ‘Then shalt Thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness.5 In the interval betwixt these two statements, a momentous change must be regarded as having taken place. Sin having been atoned for, the good pleasure of God must now rest upon Zion, and her sacrifices must be acceptable to Him. .No longer brought to take away unrighteousness, or to work out self-righteousness, but as a symbol of the self-dedication and thanksgiving of a justified people, — as ’ sacrifices of righteousness,5 they are such as God must really ’ take pleasure in.5 This teaches us something which is of the utmost importance in our intercourse with God; this, namely, that the value of all our works is defined by our relation to God. If we are not yet reconciled to God, if we have not yet received the atonement and forgiveness of sins in Christ, then our best works cannot be well-pleasing to God. If, on the other hand, we have become the children of God, and the relation betwixt Him and us is as it should be, then He takes delight in our service and our works, and they are acceptable to Him. Hence it is said, as in the words of David, 6 Thou delightest not in sacrifices,’ but also again, 6 Thou shalt delight in sacrifices’: just as in the utterances of Paul, we read first, 6 Not of works,5 but then again as pointedly, ‘Created unto good works’ (Eph. ii. 9, 10). The very same works that, before faith, are worthy to be rejected, are, after faith, and in virtue of it, an acceptable service to God.

Thus we learn further that in all our religion the great question ought to be, whether the Lord takes pleasure in it, or whether our work is well-pleasing to Him. That Cain presented a sacrifice availed him little: God did not look upon his sacrifice. That we are earnest and zealous in religion avails us little: the great question is whether He takes delight in us and our sacrifice.

It is not how we pray and what we do that can bring us blessing: but the fact that God accepts our praying and our doing, and sends an answer to it. Many set themselves in a state of contentment when they think: that they have done their best to serve God and obtain rest in this duty. With a living faith it is not so. It will not merely set the wood in order and slay the victim, but it will crave the fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice. It is bent on having a token for good, the light of God’s countenance, a proof that the sacrifice is well-pleasing and acceptable.

HAVE MEECY UPON ME.

It is not merely afraid of a self-willed religion, it not merely seeks to serve God with all earnestness in the way and after the manner ordained by Hirn; but it still desires to know on every occasion that God takes delight in its sacrifices. And by the secret and blessed exercise of fellowship with the High Priest in heaven which the witness of the Holy Spirit maintains in living activity with our spirit, this is really bestowed on faith. The tender-hearted believer may know it: ‘Thou delightest in this sacrifice.5

David’s word teaches us still further, that, when God thus takes delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, His people also will take delight in them. ‘Then shalt Thou delight ‘: ’ then shall they offer bullocks.’ Yes: it may be easily conceived that there is nothing that shall more powerfully incite to a joyful and abounding service than the blessed certainty that God has delight in it. Does not many a one learn by experience to testify that it is just this that renders him indolent and dispirited in seeking the Lord: the fact, namely, that he did not know whether this search was acceptable, the fact that he obtained no token that God took delight in it? On the other hand, when we know that God does delight in our effort, and that every sacrifice is a joy to the Eternal, how does the heart become fired and strengthened for duty, and the sacrifice itself becomes a joy and a delight. Yes: the secret of true religion, of a joyful self-surrender and an entire obedience, is the joy of the assurance that God delights in our sacrifices. i Then shall we offer bullocks upon Thine altar.’

Glorious time: when in the light of God’s friendly countenance His people shall joyfully and willingly dedicate themselves wholly to Him. May the thought of it awaken in us with new earnestness the petition: ‘Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: build Thou the walls of Jerusalem.” Then shalt Thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.’ And may every approach to God with the prayer, 6 Have mercy upon me, O God, and every experience of the answer, strengthen us in the confidence that even in response to our prayer God will thus deal with Zion and do good to her, and that the hour shall be hastened when His great congregation shall bear the name of Hephzi-bah: *My delight is in her’ (Isa. lxii. 4).