Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 66:15

I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.

15. Burnt offerings of fatlings will I offer unto thee,

Together with incense of rams.

‘Incense of rams’ denotes the sweet savour of the sacrifice ascending as it was consumed by fire. Cp. perhaps, though the meaning is not certain, Isa 1:13. The cognate verb is used of burning the victim or the fat of the victim on the altar. Thus Exo 29:18, “and thou shalt burn (lit., if an obsolete verb might be revived, incense) the whole ram upon the altar; it is a burnt offering unto the Lord: it is a sweet savour.” According to the Levitical ritual the ram was to be offered as a burnt offering or peace offering only by the whole people or its princes, by the high-priest or an ordinary priest, or by a Nazirite; never by an ordinary individual (by whom however it was to be used as a trespass offering). He-goats are only mentioned in connexion with the offerings of the princes (Num 7:17 ff). Hence it may be inferred that the Psalm refers to sacrifices offered by the nation or its leaders, not by an ordinary private individual. Cp. however Isa 1:11, where almost exactly the same animals are mentioned as here; and Psa 50:9; Psa 50:13.

I will offer ] Lit., dress for sacrifice. Cp. 1Ki 18:23 ff; Exo 29:36 ff; &c.: and Gr. , , in LXX : Lat. facere.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings – Margin, marrow. On the word rendered burnt-offerings see the notes at Isa 1:11. The word rendered fatlings is rendered in Isa 5:17, lambs. It may be applied to any animal considered as fat – a qualification required in sacrifices to be made on the altar, Isa 1:11.

With the incense of rams – The word here rendered incense is commonly applied to aromatics which were burned in the tabernacle or temple, producing a grateful odor (see the notes at Isa 1:13); but it seems here to be used with reference to the smoke ascending from burning rams offered in sacrifice – ascending as the smoke of incense did. The smoke thus ascending would be as grateful and acceptable as incense.

I will offer bullocks with goats – Bullocks and goats. That is, I will present sacrifices in all the forms required in worship; in all the forms that will express gratitude to God, or that will be an acknowledgment of dependence and guilt; in all that would properly express homage to the Deity. Bullocks and goats were both required in the ancient worship.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. I will offer, c.] Thou shalt have the best of the herd and of the fold the lame and the blind shall never be given to thee for sacrifice.

The incense of rams] The fine effluvia arising from the burning of the pure fat.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

With the incense of rams; with the fat of rams, which in these peace-offerings was burnt upon the altar, and so vanished into smoke like incense, and which is no less pleasing to God than incense.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

15. I will offerliterally,”make to ascend,” alluding to the smoke of burnt offering,which explains the use of “incense.”

incenseelsewherealways denoting the fumes of aromatics.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings,…. Of the fattest of the flock; that is, of the best; such as Abel offered, Ge 4:4;

with the incense of rams; or “rams with incense” f; the Targum is,

“with sweet incense, the sacrifice of rams;”

Kimchi interprets it of incense of the fat of rams.

I will offer bullocks with goats; he proposed to offer all kind of offerings, to show gratitude and thankfulness for the favours received; by all which are meant the calves, or fruit of the lips, the sacrifices of praise, thanksgiving to God, in the name of the whole church and people of God; see Re 19:1.

Selah; on this word, [See comments on Ps 3:2].

f “arietes cum incenso”, Gejerus; so Campeusis in ibid.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

15 I will offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings. We must suppose the speaker to be either David or one of the more considerable men of the nation, for none in humbler circumstances could have offered rich sacrifices of this kind. It is probable that David was the author of the psalm, and here he signifies his intention to show a kingly liberality in his offerings. The reason why God ordered victims to be offered as an expression of thanksgiving was, as is well known, to teach the people that their praises were polluted by sin, and needed to be sanctified from without. However we might propose to ourselves to praise the name of God, we could only profane it with our impure lips, had not Christ once offered himself up a sacrifice, to sanctify both us and our services. (Heb 10:7) It is through him, as we learn from the apostle, that our praises are accepted. The Psalmist, by way of commendation of his burnt-offering, speaks of its incense or sweet savor; for although in themselves vile and loathsome, yet the rams and other victims, so far as they were figures of Christ, sent up a sweet savor unto God. (480) Now that the shadows of the Law have been abolished, attentionis called to the true spiritual service. What this consists in, is more clearly brought under our notice in the verse which follows, where the Psalmist tells us, that he would spread abroad the fame of the benefits which he had received from God. Such was the end designed, even in the outward ceremonies under the Law, apart from which they could only be considered as an empty show. It was this — the fact, that they set forth the praises of the divine goodness — which formed the very season of the sacrifices, preserving them from insipidity. In calling, as he does, upon all the fearers of the Lord, the Psalmist teaches us, that if we duly feel the goodness of God, we will be inflamed with a desire to publish it abroad, that others may have their faith and hope confirmed, by what they hear of it, as well as join with us in a united song of praise. He addresses himself to none but such as feared the Lord, for they only could appreciate what he had to say, and it would have been lost labor to communicate it to the hypocritical and ungodly.

(480) “ Le Prophere loue yci le perfum de son holocauste, combien qu’il n’en peust monter au ciel qu’ une odeur puante et infecte: mais il faut noter que les beliers et autres bestes qu’on sacrifioit flairoyent bon devant Dieu, entant que c’estoyent figures de Iesus Christ.” — Fr.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(15) I will offer.Such a holocaust could hardly have been vowed by a single person. It is the community that speaks. Besides, the ram was not a sacrifice for any individual, but particularly enjoined for the high priest (Lev. 9:2), the head of a tribe (Numbers 7), or a Nazarite (Num. 6:14). Incense is here the ascending smoke of the sacrifice.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

15. He enumerates the victims to be offered in fulfilment of his vow.

Fatlings Fat sheep, or “marrowy lambs.” These were for his “burnt offerings.” Psa 66:13. Another kind of sacrifices follows, , ( shelamim, or peace-offerings,) consisting of rams, bullocks, and goats; but as these were offered as shelamim for Aaron and the tribes, (Lev 9:4; Numbers 7,) we should consider the psalmist here as speaking in behalf of the whole people, while the costliness and number of the sacrifices indicate his zeal and devotion.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psa 66:15. Of fatlings i.e. The fattest lambs. The incense of rams, means the odour of the fat of rams, which was burned in sacrifice.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Psa 66:15 I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.

Ver. 15. I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings ] Heb. marrow, the very best of the best; and better I could beteem the Lord if I had it.

With the incense of rams ] Which, being offered in faith, and as figures of that great sacrifice to come, shall be accepted of God for a sweet smelling savour.

I will offer bullocks with goats ] Faciam boves; this Eccius allegeth, but absurdly, to prove the Popish unbloody sacrifice of the mass; as if Christ, when he said, This do ye in remembrance of me, had meant, Thus sacrifice ye.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

offer = prepare. Hebrew. ‘asah. App-43.

Selah. Connecting verses: Psa 66:5-7 and Psa 66:16. See note on Psa 66:4, and App-66.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

fatlings: Heb. marrow

with the: Jer 41:5

I will offer: 2Sa 6:13, 2Sa 6:17-19, 1Ch 16:1-3

Reciprocal: Lev 1:9 – burn all Num 7:32 – incense Num 7:45 – General Son 4:6 – the mountain

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge