“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 34:18
At age seven I survived a life-threatening illness. When I came home from the hospital, I quickly forgot the wonder of being made well and instead cried inconsolably because I wouldn’t be allowed to attend a holiday party in our community. It was my first taste of heartbreak. Then at age 15 my high school boyfriend found a new girlfriend, and I experienced a heartbreak familiar to many young people! As we grow older, we face disappointments far deeper than these in the journey of life. Some catastrophic events are even life-altering. The heart is fragile and easily broken, isn’t it?

But the closeness of the Lord becomes real when our spirit feels crushed. The writers of the psalms and the writers of the hymns we sing give words to our times of pain and lament. They remind us that the Lord is near and will respond to our cries of anguish. When He grants healing, the tears are wiped away and peace is restored, even if the circumstances are unchanged.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).



Scripture Focus

Psalm 34:17-20

Insight

“Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?/ Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.” (Henry F. Lyte, 1847)

Bible In A Year

  • 1 Kings 9-10
  • Proverbs 4
  • Hebrews 3-4

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