Hosea 14:2

Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

Take with you words - instead of sacrifices-namely, the words of penitence here put in your mouths by God. "Words" in Hebrew [ dªbaariym (H1697)] mean realities, there being the same term for words and things; so God implies, He will not accept empty professions (Psalms 78:36, "Nevertheless, they did flatter Him with their mouth, and they lied unto Him with their tongues;" Isaiah 29:13). He does not ask costly sacrifices, but words of heartfelt penitence.

Receive us graciously - literally, (for) good [ Towb (H2896), for lªTowb (H2896)]. But as there is no "us" in the Hebrew, the antithesis to "take away all iniquity," requires the translation to be, 'receive the good' which we offer to thee-namely, the "words" of unfeigned repentance. Receive whatever of good there is in our service offered to thee: for it is not our good, but what Thy good Spirit works in us (Psalms 68:19; Ephesians 4:8). The prayer presumes that God has both taken away all iniquity, so justifying them, and has infused good into them by His Holy Spirit. Therefore they do not call it our goodness, but simply receive good. God's works after justification are acceptable to God, because they flow from a living faith. But perhaps it is better to understand 'accept the good' as meaning, in the ulterior design of the Spirit, accept the righteousness of Christ. Then the joyful thanksgiving follows naturally: 'Take away all our guilt by Christ's blood-shedding: and accept His righteousness, as imputed to us, for righteousness which we have not in ourselves.'

So will we render the calves of our lips - i:e., instead of sacrifices of calves, which we cannot offer to thee in our exile, we present the praises of our lips. Thus the exile, wherein the temple-service ceased, prepared the way for the Gospel time, when the types of the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament being realized in Christ's perfect sacrifice once for all; "the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips" (Hebrews 13:15), takes their place in the New Testament.