What does Hebrews 10:7 mean?
This concludes a quotation from Psalm 40:6–8. The writer of Hebrews actually quotes the Septuagint, which is a Greek translation of the original Hebrew Scriptures. This creates a slightly different phrasing in English, here in this verse, than is found in the Old Testament.This quotation is given to support the writer's most recent point. Namely, that the animal sacrifices offered under the old covenant could never solve the problem of our sin. The very fact that they had to be repeated over and over proves that they only temporarily covered sin, they could not permanently cleanse it (Hebrews 9:8–10). This, according to the writer, is part of God's intention; we were meant to look for a single, once-for-all sacrifice, and this is what Christ provided (Hosea 6:6).
As in earlier passages, the writer of Hebrews provides Old Testament quotations to prove his point. This emphasizes the claim that these are not new ideas—this is exactly what God has always promised. Rather than depending on the use of offerings and sacrifices, Psalm 40 suggests the need for a body, created by God, to complete His will. This is used, here in Hebrews, as a prophecy about the bodily ministry of Jesus Christ.