Psalm 40:6–8
6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book, it is written of me.
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”
What does God desire in our life? Obedience!
1 Samuel 15:22–23
22 So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”
What does God desire in our heart? Obedience with a right attitude.
Why do so many not obey God? They do not delight in God’s law. David delighted in telling others what God had done for him Psalm 22:25. David had been through the fire. He knew what distress was. He knew what sin had done to him, and the forgiveness of sin. He wrote in Psalm 51:3 “For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” David also knew what restoration was. Psalm 51:12, David wrote, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”
David knew the dark side of life. David also knew the forgiveness of God. The restoration of God leads a person to do God’s will. It brings joy to the life of the one who has truly turned from sin and to God.
What does God desire in our heart? Obedience to Him.
David wrote in Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.” The Word of God must be in our heart. If His Word lives in us, we will delight in doing His will. Serving God is not laborious. Knowing God is having strength to obey His will with joy.