Go! And Find Hope in the Brokenness - Psalm 34:18
Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (NLT)
Introduction: A Message for the Wounded
Have you ever had your heart broken? Perhaps it was the loss of a loved one, the betrayal of a friend, the collapse of a dream, or the weight of guilt from past choices. In those moments, life can feel like it’s crumbling beneath us.
Psalm 34:18 is not a platitude for the fainthearted; it is a profound promise for the wounded soul:
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (Psalm 34:18, NLT)
This is not just ancient poetry—it is the living Word of God. It tells us that God does not run from our pain; He draws near to it. And the ultimate demonstration of that truth is found in Jesus Christ—God with us, who stepped into our broken world, bore our sorrows, carried our sins, and through His cross and resurrection, opened the way to healing and eternal hope.
1. God Draws Near to the Brokenhearted
The Hebrew word used here for “close” is qarob, meaning “near in space and relationship.” It’s not about God being far away, looking down from heaven; it’s about God stooping low, entering into the pain of His people.
David, the psalmist, wrote this while fleeing for his life, a fugitive hiding in caves, rejected, abandoned, uncertain of his future. And yet, in the cave of despair, David discovered the God who is close.
Isaiah 57:15 — “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: ‘I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.’”
God is both exalted above creation and intimately present with the lowly.
Matthew 11:28 — “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”
The God who draws near in the Old Testament is revealed fully in Christ, who invites the broken and burdened to Himself.
Charles Stanley once said, “Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness.”
Friends, brokenness is not a disqualification from God’s presence; it is often the very place where He meets us most powerfully.
Imagine a child with a broken toy. The toy is useless in its brokenness, but in the hands of the father who loves the child, the broken pieces can be repaired. So it is with us—our brokenness in God’s hands is not the end but the beginning of restoration.
2. God Rescues the Crushed in Spirit
Psalm 34:18 continues: “He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
The Hebrew word for “crushed” is daka’, meaning “broken into pieces, pulverised.” It describes someone at the end of themselves, where strength and hope are gone.
Psalm 147:3 — “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”
This is not a distant hope; it is the tender care of the divine physician who tends to our deepest wounds.
2 Corinthians 4:8–9 — “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.”
Paul echoes David’s song centuries later—though crushed, God does not abandon His people.
John Piper wrote, “The ultimate reason our hearts can be comforted is not that circumstances improve, but that Christ will never leave us.”
Hope is not found in a pain-free life; hope is found in the presence of Christ who remains faithful.
Corrie ten Boom, who suffered the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, once said, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” Her testimony proves Psalm 34:18 in flesh and blood.
3. Christ: The Fulfilment of God’s Nearness
Ultimately, Psalm 34:18 points us to Jesus Christ. The eternal Son of God came near, not just with words of comfort, but by entering fully into our human brokenness.
John 1:14 — “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.”
God drew near in the most tangible way possible—He became flesh.
Philippians 2:7–8 — “Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being… he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
The cross is where brokenness meets redemption. Jesus was crushed—literally, under the weight of our sin—that we might be rescued.
Tim Keller once said, “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time, we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”
Christ was broken for the broken, so that the crushed might be lifted up into His eternal life.
4. The Gospel Call: From Brokenness to Salvation
Every heart in this room must face this truth: sin has broken us far more deeply than life’s circumstances ever could. Our rebellion against God has left us spiritually crushed and condemned.
But here is the Good News:
Jesus Christ lived the perfect life we could not live.
He bore the punishment for our sins on the cross.
He was buried, and on the third day, He rose victorious over sin and death.
And now, to the brokenhearted sinner who repents and believes, He offers forgiveness, new life, and eternal hope.
Romans 10:9 — “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
This is not a message for the strong; it is for the broken who admit their need.
R.T. Kendall has said, “The greater the revelation of our weakness, the greater the revelation of God’s grace.”
If you are crushed under guilt, fear, or despair—come to Jesus. His grace is greater.
In our society, we are taught to hide our brokenness, to mask pain with busyness, entertainment, or achievement. But God says the opposite: bring your brokenness to Me.
To the grieving: God is near.
To the guilty: Christ has borne your shame.
To the fearful: His presence is your refuge.
To the weary: His Spirit gives you strength.
Call to Action:
Church, God is calling us to stop running from our brokenness and to run to Christ.
For believers: Trust that your brokenness is not wasted. Let God use it to deepen your faith and your witness.
For unbelievers: Today is the day of salvation. Do not wait. Repent and trust in Christ—He is close, and He rescues the crushed.
Invitation to Salvation:
Friend, if you have never trusted Christ, hear this: The same Jesus who was broken on the cross for you is alive today, calling you by name.
Confess your sins, turn from your self-reliance, and place your faith in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. He promises to forgive, restore, and give you eternal life.
Benediction:
May you go today in the assurance that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted. May the peace of Christ guard your hearts, may His Spirit empower you, and may His grace sustain you until the day you see Him face to face.
Amen.
