No animal at the same time could be a sweet savor, and non-savor, offering. But Christ is all in all!
In our meditations on Psalm 40, we briefly considered the Sinner’s Plea (vv 1-3) and the Saint’s Praise (vv 4-5). We now move to the heart of the psalm. Without this, there would be no help, no hope. Here is the Savior’s Provision (vv 6-8). Clearly this is Messianic, being quoted in Hebrews 10:5-9. In the parallelism in verse 6, David is not merely using handy synonyms. “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire…Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.” These are four specific categories of divine transaction. “Sacrifice” (Heb, zebah) describes Christ as our peace, where God and redeemed humanity can meet; it is the reconciliation and fellowship offering, where each one has a part. “Offering” (Heb, minchâ) was the grain or meal offering, not an expression of Christ’s death (there was no blood in it) but of His perfect person and holy life laid down as well. Obviously the third mentioned “burnt offering” (Heb, ‘ôlâh) was the first and highest offering, all for God. The final grouping was the “sin offering” (Heb, hătâ’â), the non-savor sacrifices killed before the Lord but completely burned outside the camp. Though all were described and prescribed under the law (Lev 1–5), here the Messiah speaks through David and says that in this case God did not “desire” or “require” them. Why? They were sketches of a far greater Sacrifice. What was missing in these shadow-sacrifices? The most important thing! Not one animal offered itself willingly. But THIS Offering declared, “I delight to do Your will, O My God” (Ps 40:8). Yes, “Christ died FOR us” (Rom 5:8), but He “offered Himself without spot TO God” (Heb 9:14). If God wasn’t satisfied, little good it would do us. But He was, of course—perfectly satisfied!