“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Of all the verses in the Bible, Psalm 34:18 is arguably one of the most misquoted.

Granted, Psalm 34:18 is a tremendous encouragement to those who are mourning the loss of a loved one, overwhelmed by trials of life, or struggling with anxiety, worry and depression.

However, none of those circumstances speak to the heart of what Psalm 34:18 truly means, hence why it is critical we pause and examine its context so we understand the meaning behind its wisdom.

What is most interesting are the parallels people draw from Psalm 34:18 to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount where He taught, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). What many fail to realize, though, is another of His Beatitudes more accurately reflects the meaning behind Psalm 34:18.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

Matthew 5:4 provides a far more accurate picture of what it means to be brokenhearted, for it encourages us to own our foolishness and repent of our sins if we are to receive the comfort of forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father.

Jesus affirmed how blessed it is to humble ourselves and make amends for the pain we’ve caused God and others. Therefore, if we desire to glean the true wisdom Psalm 34:18 provides, it is critical we fully own the consequences of our actions rather than ignore or avoid them.

WORLDLY GRIEF:

To mourn our sins means we truly see our sin from God’s vantage point and understand how our fellowship with Him is broken when we yield to our flesh. However, there is a distinct difference between simply being sorry for our mistakes and truly mourning our sins, and that chasm hinges upon what level of grief we’re experiencing.

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Keep in mind, being sorry typically conveys we’re disappointed for getting caught and regretful for making poor choices, more than anything else. Granted, an apology is a decent starting point toward reconciliation. However, it is shallow at best because it fails to resonate remorse and contrition deep within our hearts which elicits repentance.

Scripture essentially equates being sorry with worldly grief because it is a band-aid attempt to lessen consequences of action by minimizing the decisions that were made. In other words, worldly grief doesn’t require zero tolerance. Rather, it is flexible and can withstand multiple slaps on the wrist because the price to pay is moderate and bearable.

Unfortunately, worldly grief never fixes our sin problem. It simply delays our inevitable destruction because we’re too naïve to believe we have a problem in the first place, and too foolish to put boundaries in place to cut off the enemy’s supply line of temptation.

“Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 26:11–12).

The biggest problem with worldly grief is we foolishly think we’ve found a loophole in God’s judgment, therefore we test our luck like a game of Russian roulette in the hope we can get away with yielding to our flesh one last time. What we fail to realize is the more we yield to sin, the more the enemy’s stronghold entrenches in our minds and hardens our hearts.

“For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths. The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray” (Proverbs 5:21–23).

GODLY GRIEF:

Godly grief, on the other hand, is birthed out of deep guilt, shame and remorse, and results in humbling ourselves by seeking reconciliation with others. It is a response which asks, “Will you please forgive me?” rather than the reactionary statement, “I’m sorry!”

The pivotal difference between those two postures comes down to a personal choice. For when we ask others to forgive our sins, we’re relinquishing control and giving them the choice of forgiving our offenses or continuing to harbor bitterness and resentment.

Asking forgiveness requires humility and gives the offended party a choice to make. Saying, “I’m sorry,” is merely a statement. Therefore, we are wise to understand which posture is more beneficial to reconciliation because humility is the outpouring of Godly grief that 2 Corinthians 7:10 encourages us to embrace.

“Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor” (Proverbs 18:12).

Godly grief also requires us turn away from our sin and walk toward the light of God’s Word. We tend to think if we can just stop sinning, everything will be fine. However, remaining idle is not a wise solution. It simply delays the inevitable and counts down the clock till we relapse into the patterns of our old self.

“Put off your old self which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22–24).

Therefore, we must build spiritual disciplines which help create a new normal to live by. For no longer are we expected to default into sinful bents because God has redeemed our hearts, souls, and minds through the blood of Jesus which cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

FREEDOM:

If we consider the entire context of Psalm 34, we’ll find a distinct emphasis on the righteousness of man which is grounded in surrender, obedience, and submission to the Lord alone for salvation. Granted, this is certainly a psalm of praise and thanksgiving to God for His deliverance amid trial and suffering, but we cannot overlook one simple fact which verse-18 hinges upon.

What makes a man truly righteous is not based on all the good works he has done, but rather his faith in Christ which causes him to respond to God in faith, reverence, and humility when he has sinned.

Granted, we will continue to sin and make foolish choices long after we’ve been saved. That is simply a fact of living in a fallen world. Nonetheless, how we respond in those moments of failure by immersing our hearts and minds in repentance is critical, for it is the only gateway to freedom from sin and restoration with the Father we need to survive.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:8–10).

Keep in mind, when we are crushed in spirit, what is beneath the surface of our hearts eventually comes pouring out. Like grapes in a winepress, we expose what is buried deep within when the pressures of life and temptations to sin overwhelm us.

Therefore, what we hope to see pouring out when the walls are closing in on us is self-awareness, ownership, and accountability, which are building blocks of repentance. For when we are crushed in spirit, we finally get to see what we’re truly made of!

BOTTOM-LINE:

Psalm 34:18 is an incredible verse of Scripture and one we should always remember. However, we must understand the deeper meaning behind its wisdom because it reminds us how close the Lord leans in when we mourn our sin and turn our hearts back to Him.

For no man who calls upon the Lord in genuine, Biblical repentance will be denied his request for grace, mercy, and forgiveness. That does not mean we are exempt from the consequences of actions our sins cause, but rather we are given new opportunities to humble ourselves and learn from our mistakes.

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

In the end, we who profess ourselves as Christians know our Savior identifies with our struggles and is praying for us (just as He did before Peter’s denial), because He knows we will eventually succumb to sin and temptation. However, Jesus also knows we have the ability to repent of our sin, turn away from our mistakes, and walk obediently in the light of His truth.

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31–32).

Therefore, we can rest assured the Lord is closer than we could ever imagine because the Holy Spirit dwells within our hearts—convicting us when we need discipline, guiding us when we need wisdom, and reminding us we are born again in Christ Jesus and not slaves to our flesh.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:4–7).