18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
18 The LORD H3068 is nigh H7138 unto them that are of a broken H7665 heart; H3820 and saveth H3467 such as be of a contrite H1793 spirit. H7307
18 Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.
18 Near `is' Jehovah to the broken of heart, And the bruised of spirit He saveth.
18 Jehovah is nigh to those that are of a broken heart, and saveth them that are of a contrite spirit.
18 Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves those who have a crushed spirit.
18 The Lord is near the broken-hearted; he is the saviour of those whose spirits are crushed down.
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
For 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.
The 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;
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.
For 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.
Because 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.
The 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,
Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 34
Commentary on Psalms 34 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 34
This psalm was penned upon a particular occasion, as appears by the title, and yet there is little in it peculiar to that occasion, but that which is general, both by way of thanksgiving to God an instruction to us.
So that, in singing this psalm, we are both to give glory to God and to teach and admonish ourselves and one another.
A psalm of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
Psa 34:1-10
The title of this psalm tells us both who penned it and upon what occasion it was penned. David, being forced to flee from his country, which was made too hot for him by the rage of Saul, sought shelter as near it as he could, in the land of the Philistines. There it was soon discovered who he was, and he was brought before the king, who, in the narrative, is called Achish (his proper name), here Abimelech (his title); and lest he should be treated as a spy, or one that came thither upon design, he feigned himself to be a madman (such there have been in every age, that even by idiots men might be taught to give God thanks for the use of their reason), that Achish might dismiss him as a contemptible man, rather than take cognizance of him as a dangerous man. And it had the effect he desired; by this stratagem he escaped the hand that otherwise would have handled him roughly. Now,
Psa 34:11-22
David, in this latter part of the psalm, undertakes to teach children. Though a man of war, and anointed to be king, he did not think it below him; though now he had his head so full of cares and his hands of business, yet he could find heart and time to give good counsel to young people, from his own experience. It does not appear that he had now any children of his own, at least any that were grown up to a capacity of being taught; but, by divine inspiration, he instructs the children of his people. Those that were in years would not be taught by him, though he had offered them his service (Ps. 32:8); but he had hopes that the tender branches will be more easily bent and that children and young people will be more tractable, and therefore he calls together a congregation of them (v. 11): "Come, you children, that are now in your learning age, and are now to lay up a stock of knowledge which you must live upon all your days, you children that are foolish and ignorant, and need to be taught.' Perhaps he intends especially those children whose parents neglected to instruct and catechise them; and it is as great a piece of charity to put those children to school whose parents are not in a capacity to teach them as to feed those children whose parents have not bread for them. Observe,
In singing these verses let us be confirmed in the choice we have made of the ways of God; let us be quickened in his service, and greatly encouraged by the assurances he has given of the particular care he takes of all those that faithfully adhere to him.