Psalms 51:16

Certainly ¹  you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; ²  you do not desire a burnt sacrifice. ³ 

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering.

You would not be pleased with sacrifices, or I would bring them. If I brought you a burnt offering, you would not accept it.

Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you.

You have no desire for an offering or I would give it; you have no delight in burned offerings.

For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it ; You do not delight in burnt offering.

Certainly ¹  you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; ²  you do not desire a burnt sacrifice. ³ 

¹ tn Or “For.” The translation assumes the particle is asseverative (i.e., emphasizing: “certainly”). (Some translations that consider the particle asseverative leave it untranslated.) If taken as causal or explanatory (“for”, cf. NRSV), the verse would explain why the psalmist is pleading for forgiveness, rather than merely offering a sacrifice.

² tn The translation assumes that the cohortative is used in a hypothetical manner in a formally unmarked conditional sentence, “You do not want a sacrifice, should I offer [it]” (cf. NEB). For other examples of cohortatives in the protasis (“if” clause) of a conditional sentence, see GKC 320 §108.e. (It should be noted, however, that GKC understands this particular verse in a different manner. See GKC 320 §108.f, where it is suggested that the cohortative is part of an apodosis with the protasis being suppressed.)

³ sn You do not desire a burnt sacrifice. The terminology used in v. 16 does not refer to expiatory sacrifices, but to dedication and communion offerings. This is not a categorical denial of the sacrificial system in general or of the importance of such offerings. The psalmist is talking about his specific situation. Dedication and communion offerings have their proper place in worship (see v. 19), but God requires something more fundamental, a repentant and humble attitude (see v. 17), before these offerings can have real meaning.