Bible Strands
Psalms 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David's testimony of praise, positioned between God hearing the righteous cry (v. 17) and delivering them from many afflictions (v. 19). No specific audience; a general declaration of God's posture toward the afflicted.
The words — נִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵב (nishbe'rei-lev, "broken of heart") and דַּכְּאֵי־רוּחַ (dakke'ei-ruach, "crushed of spirit") are two distinct Piel participles: the first from שָׁבַר (to shatter), the second from דָּכָא (to beat down, trample). The text names two different kinds of affliction—emotional rupture and sustained pressure—rather than using one word twice.
The thread — Psalms 147:3 pairs "heals the brokenhearted" with "binds up their wounds"; Psalms 145:18 states the LORD is near to all who call in truth; Isaiah 57:15 places God's dwelling with the lowly and contrite. The cluster consistently ties divine nearness to human brokenness rather than to human strength.
Why it lands — The verse locates God specifically at the site of brokenness and crushing, not beside it or above it. It asks the reader to stop measuring their own worthiness as the condition for God's presence.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Cross-references
- Psalms 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
- Psalms 145:18 The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.
- Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
- Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
- Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
- Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
- Isaiah 66:2 Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.
- Psalms 85:9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.
- Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
- 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 proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,