Healing the broken hearted 6 – The Lord is near

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect and respond to God’s attraction to pain and suffering.

Scripture

Psalms 34:17-20

17  When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18  The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 20  He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.

Observation

1. Read through the text again and record what is most prominent to you.
2. Whom does the Lord save? What does that mean?
3. From what does the Lord save?
4. “the Lord near to the brokenhearted”
   1. When is He “near”?
   2. Why is He “near”?
   3. How is the Lord “near”?
   4. Why does the Psalmist say that? [hint: what is the danger of someone feeling “broken” or “crushed”? What might they be tempted to think?]
5. What do you understand by the phrase “crushed in spirit”?
6. Rephrase verses 19-20 in your own words.

Personal reflection and Prayer

1. Consider your own life journey. Think about the one or two most trying times in your life.
   1. Could you say that you experienced that the Lord was “near”?
   2. Have you ever felt “crushed in spirit”? How did the Lord save you from that?
   3. From what “afflictions” can you testify that the Lord saved you?
   4. Even in the “afflictions” could you testify that the Lord preserved your life?
2. Can you presently identify with the feeling “brokenhearted”, “crushed” or “afflicted”? Then pray as the Psalmist did:
   1. Thank Him for his “nearness” and ask Him to make His “nearness” known to you.
   2. Cry out for the Lord to save you from this situation; be desperate and sincere.
   3. Ask Him to preserve you, to heal you and to restore you.
   4. Pray with Paul “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Cor 12:9