The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
- BSB The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.
- NKJV The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
- NASB The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
- NLT The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Overview
This tender verse promises God's nearness to those broken and crushed by grief or sin. Far from despising the contrite, God draws close to save them. This comfort is fulfilled in Christ, who came to bind up the brokenhearted and is near to all who mourn.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ps 147:3He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
- Ps 145:18The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
- Isa 57:15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
- Isa 61:1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
- Ps 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
- Ezek 36:26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
- Isa 66:2For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
- Ps 85:9Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
- Luke 4:18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
- Isa 55:6Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
- Ps 119:151Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.
- 2 Kgs 22:19Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.
- Ezek 36:31Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
- Ps 75:1Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 34:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.