2. Give God All That He Asks (vv. 6-10). David has moved from the pit to the rock, and now he goes to the sanctuary of God. After all God had done for David, how could the king express to the Lord his appreciation for His mercies? He could bring sacrifices to the altar, but that wasn’t God’s first desire. This doesn’t mean that such sacrifices were wrong or that God didn’t want His people to offer them, but that God wanted their hearts first of all. Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord made it clear that He could not accept sacrifices unless the worshipper showed sincere devotion, dedication, and obedience. No doubt David heard how Saul learned that important lesson–too late (1 Sam. 15:22). (See 50:8-15; 51:16-17; Prov. 21:3; Isa. 1:11-17; Jer. 7:22-23; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6-8; Mark 12:32-33.)

In verse 6, sacrifice means any animal whose blood was offered at the altar, followed by a communal meal. Offering refers to the meal offering that could accompany the sacrifices, and the burnt offering symbolized total dedication to the Lord. The sin offering was given to cover specific offenses and bring reconciliation between the offender and God. All of these were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice on the cross satisfied the justice of God once and for all, for time and eternity (Lev. 1–7; Heb. 10:1-17). The “open ears” refer to his readiness to hear and obey God’s will (1 Sam. 9:15; 20:2; Isa. 48:8; 50:4-5; Matt. 3:43; Acts 7:51, 57). This is not a reference to the servant in Exodus 21:1-6. The passage is paraphrased in Hebrews 10:5-10 as “a body you have prepared for me,” i.e., the body in which the Messiah served the Father here on earth. An open ear means a yielded will and a surrendered body. When the heart delights in God’s law, the will has no problem obeying (119:11; Deut. 6:6; 11:18; Prov. 3:3; 7:3; Jer. 31:33). “Lo, I come” means “Here I am, ready to obey” (see 1 Sam. 3:4, 6, 8; Isa. 6:8). The scroll may be a reference to Deuteronomy 17:14-20; and see 2 Kings 11:12 and 22:13. The Old Testament predicts the coming of the Messiah (Luke 24:27).

David was enthusiastic about telling others what the Lord had done for him, and he is a good example for us to follow (22:25; 26:12; 35:18; 111:1; 149:1). Among the worshippers at the sanctuary, the king gave glory to the Lord. This reminds us of our Lord’s resurrection praises (22:31; Heb. 2:12).