“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 ESV).
David wrote this psalm after the Lord delivered him from the Philistines at Gath. In it, he praised God for His faithfulness and exhorted others to taste and see that the Lord is good. This verse highlights God’s tender posture toward the brokenhearted. Though God is omnipresent, the awareness of His nearness is experienced by those who are humbled through sorrow or repentance. The brokenhearted become especially aware of His presence, finding Him to be their healer and Savior. Centuries later, Jesus affirmed this truth in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:3–4). God draws near to those who recognize their spiritual poverty and mourn over sin, granting them His kingdom and comfort.
In seasons of brokenness, we often feel abandoned. Yet this verse assures us that such seasons are when God’s presence is most real. It is not that He has moved closer, but that in our pain, distractions are stripped away, and we become more sensitive to His nearness. Our crushed spirits open us to His saving work, just as Jesus promised comfort and blessing to the poor in spirit. When our hearts are whole and self-sufficient, we may ignore God’s presence. But when broken, we discover the sweetness of His nearness. Therefore, rather than despising brokenness, we can embrace it as an invitation to encounter the God who is near to save.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for being near to us when our hearts are broken. In our pain and sorrow, help us to experience Your presence more deeply. Teach us not to run from brokenness but to see it as a pathway to Your comfort and salvation. May we live as those who are poor in spirit, depending wholly on You, and rejoicing that Your kingdom belongs to such as these. In Jesus’ name, amen.