Psalms 34:18

18 Tzaddi The LORD is near unto those that are of a broken heart and saves 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 Ain The anger of the LORD is against those that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 Pe The righteous cried out, and the LORD heard and delivered them out of all their troubles.

18 Tzaddi The LORD is near unto those that are of a broken heart and saves such as are of a contrite spirit.

19 Koph Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD shall deliver him out of them all,

20 Resh keeping all his bones; not one of them shall be broken.