A psalm of David that moves in two dramatic movements: first, a testimony of deliverance from the pit (vv. 2-11) — God lifted him out, set his feet on rock, put a new song in his mouth, and revealed that what He truly desires is not sacrifice but obedient ears — and second, a desperate plea from a new crisis (vv. 12-18). The psalm's emotional trajectory is startling: the first half celebrates rescue already accomplished; the second half cries out for rescue not yet arrived. David holds both experiences simultaneously — past deliverance and present danger — without resolving the tension.
Verses 7-9 contain one of the most theologically significant statements about sacrifice in the Hebrew Bible. David declares that God did not desire (lo chafatsta) sacrifice (zevach), offering (minchah), burnt offering (olah), or sin offering (chata'ah) — the four major categories of the Israelite sacrificial system. Instead: oznayim karita li ('ears you dug/hollowed out for me'). The image is extraordinary: God excavated David's ears — bored them open, shaped them for hearing. What God wants is not the smoke of burned animals but a person whose ears have been opened to hear and obey. The writer of Hebrews 10:5-7 quotes this passage (via the LXX, which reads 'a body you prepared for me' instead of 'ears you dug for me') and applies it to Christ's incarnation — the ultimate replacement of animal sacrifice with personal obedience. In its original Hebrew context, the statement is a prophetic critique of the sacrificial system from within the psalmic tradition itself.
The relationship between the two halves of this psalm is debated. The sudden shift from joyful testimony (vv. 2-11) to urgent plea (vv. 12-18) has led some scholars to argue that two originally separate psalms were joined. Psalm 70 is virtually identical to verses 14-18, supporting the theory that these verses once circulated independently. The phrase oznayim karita li ('ears you dug for me') is textually significant: the LXX translates it as soma de katertiso moi ('a body you prepared for me'), which is the version quoted in Hebrews 10:5. The MT's 'ears' and the LXX's 'body' are different readings with different theological implications, though both point toward the same conclusion: God wants obedient presence, not ritual performance.
Hebrews 10:5-10 quotes verses 7-9 as the words of Christ entering the world, making this psalm christologically central in the New Testament. The critique of sacrifice echoes 1 Samuel 15:22 ('to obey is better than sacrifice'), Hosea 6:6 ('I desire faithful love and not sacrifice'), Micah 6:6-8, and Isaiah 1:11-17. Psalm 70 duplicates verses 14-18 almost word for word. The 'new song' (shir chadash) of verse 4 connects to Psalms 33:3, 96:1, 98:1, and 144:9. The 'scroll of the book' (megillat sefer) in verse 8 has been interpreted as the Torah, a prophetic commission, or a heavenly decree about David's destiny.
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָוִ֥ד מִזְמֽוֹר׃
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
KJV To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
קַוֹּ֣ה קִוִּ֣יתִי יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥ט אֵ֝לַ֗י וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע שַׁוְעָתִֽי׃
I waited — waited intently — for the LORD, and He leaned down to me and heard my cry.
KJV I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
וַיַּעֲלֵ֤נִי ׀ מִבּ֥וֹר שָׁאוֹן֮ מִטִּ֢יט הַיָּ֫וֵ֥ן וַיָּ֤קֶם עַל־סֶ֣לַע רַ֭גְלַי כּוֹנֵ֥ן אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃
He lifted me out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry mud. He set my feet on a rock and made my steps secure.
KJV He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
וַיִּתֵּ֬ן בְּפִ֨י ׀ שִׁ֥יר חָדָשׁ֮ תְּהִלָּ֢ה לֵֽאלֹ֫הֵ֥ינוּ יִרְא֣וּ רַ֭בִּים וְיִירָ֑אוּ וְ֝יִבְטְח֗וּ בַּיהוָֽה׃
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
KJV And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
אַ֥שְׁרֵי הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם יְ֭הוָה מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְלֹא־פָנָ֥ה אֶל־רְ֝הָבִ֗ים וְשָׂטֵ֥י כָזָֽב׃
Blessed is the person who makes the LORD his trust and does not turn to the arrogant or to those who chase after lies.
KJV Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
רַ֘בּ֤וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתָ ׀ אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי נִפְלְאֹתֶ֣יךָ וּמַחְשְׁבֹתֶ֗יךָ אֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּ אֵ֤ין ׀ עֲרֹ֣ךְ אֵלֶ֑יךָ אַגִּ֥ידָה וַ֝אֲדַבֵּ֗רָה עָצְמ֥וּ מִסַּפֵּֽר׃
Many are the wonders you have done, O LORD my God, and your plans for us — nothing can compare to you. If I tried to declare and tell of them, they would be too many to count.
KJV Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
זֶ֤בַח וּמִנְחָ֨ה ׀ לֹ֘א חָ֤פַ֗צְתָּ אׇ֭זְנַיִם כָּרִ֣יתָ לִּ֑י עוֹלָ֥ה וַ֝חֲטָאָ֗ה לֹ֣א שָׁאָֽלְתָּ׃
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire — ears you dug for me. Burnt offering and sin offering you did not require.
KJV Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
The verb karah ('to dig, to excavate') is used for digging wells and cisterns. Applied to ears, it creates a powerful metaphor: God physically opened David's capacity to hear. The dug-out ear is the organ of obedience — hearing leads to doing. This image replaces the entire sacrificial system with a single requirement: listen and obey.
אָ֣ז אָ֭מַרְתִּי הִנֵּה־בָ֑אתִי בִּמְגִלַּת־סֵ֝֗פֶר כָּת֥וּב עָלָֽי׃
Then I said, 'See — I have come. In the scroll of the book it is written about me.
KJV Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
לַעֲשֽׂוֹת־רְצוֹנְךָ֣ אֱלֹהַ֣י חָפָ֑צְתִּי וְ֝תוֹרָתְךָ֗ בְּת֣וֹךְ מֵעָֽי׃
I delight to do your will, O my God. Your instruction is within my inmost being.'
KJV I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
בִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּי צֶ֨דֶק ׀ בְּקָ֘הָ֤ל רָ֗ב הִנֵּ֣ה שְׂ֭פָתַי לֹ֣א אֶכְלָ֑א יְ֝הוָ֗ה אַתָּ֥ה יָדָֽעְתָּ׃
I proclaimed good news of righteousness in the great assembly. See — I did not seal my lips. O LORD, you know this.
KJV I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
צִדְקָתְךָ֬ לֹ֨א כִסִּ֤יתִי ׀ בְּת֬וֹךְ לִבִּ֗י אֱמוּנָתְךָ֣ וּתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ אָמָ֑רְתִּי לֹא־כִ֘חַ֤דְתִּי חַסְדְּךָ֥ וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ לְקָהָ֥ל רָֽב׃
I did not hide your righteousness within my heart. I spoke of your faithfulness and your salvation. I did not conceal your faithful love and your truth from the great assembly.
KJV I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָ֗ה לֹ֣א תִכְלָ֣א רַחֲמֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּ֑נִּי חַסְדְּךָ֥ וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ תָּמִ֥יד יִצְּרֽוּנִי׃
You, O LORD, will not withhold your compassion from me. Your faithful love and your truth will always guard me.
KJV Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
כִּ֤י אָפְפוּ־עָלַ֨י ׀ רָע֡וֹת עַד־אֵ֬ין מִסְפָּ֗ר הִשִּׂיג֣וּנִי עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣לְתִּי לִרְא֑וֹת עָצְמ֥וּ מִ֝שַּׂעֲר֗וֹת רֹאשִׁ֥י וְלִבִּ֥י עֲזָבָֽנִי׃
For evils beyond number have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me — I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed me.
KJV For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
רְצֵ֣ה יְ֭הוָה לְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי יְ֝הוָ֗ה לְעֶזְרָתִ֥י חֽוּשָׁה׃
Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me. O LORD, hurry to help me.
KJV Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀ יַ֗חַד מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי לִסְפּוֹתָ֑הּ יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָ֭חוֹר וְיִכָּלְמ֗וּ חֲפֵצֵ֥י רָעָתִֽי׃
Let those who seek to destroy my life be shamed and disgraced together. Let those who delight in my ruin be turned back and humiliated.
KJV Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
יָ֭שֹׁמּוּ עַל־עֵ֣קֶב בׇּשְׁתָּ֑ם הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לִ֝֗י הֶאָ֥ח ׀ הֶאָֽח׃
Let those who say to me, 'Ha! Ha!' be appalled at their own shame.
KJV Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
יָ֘שִׂ֤ישׂוּ וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ ׀ בְּךָ֗ כׇּל־מְ֭בַקְשֶׁיךָ יֹאמְר֣וּ תָ֭מִיד יִגְדַּ֣ל יְהוָ֑ה אֹ֝הֲבֵ֗י תְּשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃
Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say continually, 'The LORD is great!'
KJV Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
וַ֭אֲנִי עָנִ֣י וְאֶבְי֑וֹן אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י יַחֲשׇׁב־לִ֗י עֶזְרָתִ֣י וּ֭מְפַלְטִי אַתָּ֑ה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אַל־תְּאַחַֽר׃
As for me — I am poor and needy, but the Lord thinks of me. You are my help and my deliverer. O my God, do not delay.
KJV But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.