The Lord Is Near

 (Psalm 34:18-19)

 Mike Johnson

According to its title, David wrote Psalm 34 when he was experiencing much affliction.  He was fleeing from King Saul and went to Gath where, to protect his life, he faked insanity.  Leaving there, he fled to the cave of Adullam (1 Sam. 22:1).  While experiencing such hardships, he said in verse 18, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”  Earlier, he revealed many benefits in serving the Lord, and here we see these continue!

The first and second part of verse 18 says about the same thing — in both cases, he is speaking of a burden.  This situation could refer to the burden of sin or a person discouraged due to tribulations.

Consider the concept of God being “near” (18a).  Since God is omnipresent, isn’t He always near, and isn’t He near to everyone?  The answer is, “yes.”  Proverbs 15:3 explains, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”  If a person is near, they can more likely help us; if the individual is far away, it is less likely.  Verse 18 employs figurative language and expresses the concept that God is attentive and watchful, and He is always ready to help the righteous.  In Psalm 22:11, David makes this request of God, “Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.”

Continuing in verse 18, we see that the Lord is near those “who have a broken heart.”  The Hebrew word used here means “. . . to break, to burst, to break in pieces, to break down, to break up, to smash, to shatter, to bring to birth.” The word is most often used to express bursting or breaking . . . .”  (from The Complete Word Study Dictionary). In this verse, a “broken heart” refers to a person whose whole heart is “crushed” by sorrow or sin.  So, God is near to such people.  Elsewhere, we learn in Isaiah 61:1 that God sent Isaiah to “. . . preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted . . . .” (See also Ps. 147:3.)

In 18b, we see how the Lord “saves such as have a contrite spirit.”  The Hebrew word translated “contrite” is defined as, “An adjective meaning destruction, a crumbled substance, an object crushed into a powder, or pulverized dust.”  (from The Complete Word Study Dictionary)  This phrase refers to one broken and in pain; it involves humility.  God would save such a one.  For forgiveness, we must have the attitude portrayed in this verse.  Elsewhere, David points out what God desires as he says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart —  these, O God, You will not despise.” (Note also Isa. 57:15, 66:2.)

In his commentary, John Gill points out how this section refers to those:

Who are pressed and bore down with afflictions, by the sorrow of heart under which their spirits are broken . . . or with a sense of sin, and sorrow for it, for which their hearts smite them, and they are wounded by it, and broken with it: to these the Lord is nigh; not in a general way only, as he is to all men, being God omnipresent, but in a special manner; he comes and manifests himself to them in a gracious way, pours in the oil and wine of his love, and binds up their broken hearts; yea, comes and dwells with them: he does not pass by them and neglect them, much less make the breach worse; he does not break the bruised reeds, but he heals their breaches” (from John Gill’s Exposition of the Old and New Testaments)

Verse 19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”  This verse makes it clear that righteous people can face many afflictions.  However, it is comforting to know that God is near, and He will deliver!