Psalms 34:18

18 Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.

Psalms 34:18 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 34:18

The Lord [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken heart
Who are pressed and bore down with afflictions, by the sorrow of heart under which their spirits are broken, ( Proverbs 15:13 ) ; 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;

and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit;
not in a legal, but in an evangelical way; who are humbled under a sense of sin, and melted down in true repentance, under a view of the love and grace of God; and are poor and mean in their own eyes: to these the Lord has respect; the sacrifices of a broken and contrite spirit are not despised by him, but accepted through faith in Christ; and such he saves with an everlasting salvation in him.

Psalms 34:18 In-Context

16 The face of Jehovah is against them that do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 [The righteous] cried, and Jehovah heard, And delivered them out of all their troubles.

18 Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But Jehovah delivereth him out of them all.

20 He keepeth all his bones: Not one of them is broken.