January 4

MINE EARS THOU HAST DIGGED
by Ray Prinzing

"Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; mine ear hast thou opened."     [Psalm 40:6]

Into the consciousness of the Psalmist came the new knowledge that God no longer required or desired the sacrifices of animals.  This in itself is quite unique inasmuch as Israel was deeply involved in the form and ceremony of such sacrifices.  It would be a certain thing that David, with a deep desire for God, would have been used to offering much to the Lord in the way of those burnt offerings.  Yet there were these moments of inner realization when he knew that these "exterior offerings" in the natural realms were no longer desire by the Lord.

With the doing away of this old order, comes the statement, "MINE EARS THOU HAST OPENED," followed by a further response, "O, I come, I delight to do your will, O God."  With a consciousness that there is no longer any satisfaction found in the old, there is a necessity of having our ears opened to find out what the new shall be, accompanied with the surrender to find our delight in the further revelation of His will.  Ready and willing to follow whatever the new order shall be.

Interesting that for this word, ears opened," that Hebrew reads, "mine ears hast Thou digged." When our ears have been stopped up by all the debris, the noise of creeds and commandments of man's tradition, they must be cleared out to hear a pure and direct "Thus saith the Lord." Paul writes, "so many kinds of voices in the world." [1 Corinthians 14:10]. But Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." [John 10:27].

"The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them." [Proverbs 20:12].  These are gifts from God, rare treasures, and happy is the one that possesses them. Lord, close my ears to the din of the world, and open them to hear Thy voice, that I might delight in Thy will today." Amen.