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Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
16The LORD’s face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth.
17The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken.
Notice
A broken heart is named as a place of God's nearness, which may challenge the fear that being crushed means being left alone.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What, if anything, makes it hard to connect a crushed spirit with YHWH’s nearness?
Write on thisWhat might you ask God for in response to the word “saves”?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 147:3He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.Both passages name the broken heart as the object of God's care, describing his nearness and his healing.
Matthew 5:3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.Both speak of God's favor toward people described in lowly terms: crushed in spirit here, poor in spirit in Matthew.
Psalm 145:18The LORD is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.Both declare that the LORD is near, naming the brokenhearted here and those who call on him in truth there.
Isaiah 57:15For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble …Both describe God's presence with people whose spirits are brought low, and his work to save or revive them.
Isaiah 61:1The Lord GOD’s Spirit is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim …The brokenhearted receive the LORD's saving care in the psalm and help through the LORD's anointed messenger in Isaiah.
Psalm 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. O God, you will not despise a broken and contrite heart.Both name a broken heart and spirit, affirming God's nearness in Psalm 34 and his refusal to despise them in Psalm 51.
Ezekiel 36:26I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of …Both speak of heart and spirit receiving God's help, though Ezekiel promises renewal while the psalm promises nearness and rescue.
Isaiah 66:2For my hand has made all these things, and so all these things came to be,” says the LORD: “but I will look to this man, even to he who is poor and of a …Both describe the LORD's regard for people whose spirits are low, with Isaiah also naming reverence for God's word.
Psalm 85:9Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.Both join nearness with salvation, naming the crushed in spirit here and those who fear God in Psalm 85.
Luke 4:18“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to …Both name the brokenhearted and the crushed as recipients of saving help, with Luke describing the work of the Spirit-anointed speaker.
Isaiah 55:6Seek the LORD while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.The LORD's nearness is explicit in both passages; Isaiah urges people to seek him and call on him.
Joel 2:13Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and …Both concern the heart and God's care, though Joel commands a return to the LORD while the psalm declares his nearness.
Where this verse fits
Grief. feeling distant from God. loneliness.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
The next verse acknowledges that the righteous have many afflictions. This promise gives no timetable for relief. A crushed spirit does not put you beyond YHWH’s nearness and saving help.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).