If someone gives me advice, then it better be someone who knows what they’re talking about from personal experience. They must have fought the battle, walked through the fire, overcome the defeat, and experienced what they’re dispensing firsthand. That’s why I trust the verses in Psalms. The majority of the psalms were written by King David, a man who lived through everything. His psalms are a soothing balm for a weary, heartbroken person.
David was the youngest in his family and often overlooked and disregarded. When Samuel traveled to anoint the king from the sons of Jesse, nobody even considered David, who was out tending sheep. And we all remember how he was mocked and ridiculed when he said he would kill Goliath. As David matured, King Saul grew jealous wished to kill him, so David spent years hiding in caves and on the run from the madman. Later, David’s sons turned on him and tried to overthrow his rule.
I believe David is a crisis-proven advice giver. I read his words and trust the message and sentiments. That’s the reason I have confidence in the truth David penned in Psalm 34:18: The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. After experiencing a week of defeats, working too many hours, feeling overwhelmed and completely depleted, I stumbled upon this verse. Thank you, God, for scriptures that comfort and calm.
Are you feeling brokenhearted? Do your circumstances overwhelm you, causing you to dig deep to even breathe? Are you emotionally distressed? Where should we turn when we’re crushed and downtrodden?
David continues with the “brokenhearted” theme later in Psalm 147:3: He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. This scripture evokes such imagery when projecting it on to an injured child who crashed their bicycle. They are brokenhearted by the damage and sit before you with scraped knees and elbows as tears stream down their face. As a parent, you soothe their tears and gently clean and wrap their wounds so they might heal. God does the same for us.
Throughout Psalm 34 David continues to extol the virtues of his Creator: how God delivered him, encamped around him, watched over him, and protected him. God’s eye is always on us, and He’s ready with the ointment and Band-Aids if we only would come running to Him.
When we are at our weakest, He strengthens us. When we hurt the most, He wraps us in the cocoon of His tender mercies. When we are weighed down with circumstances, He lifts the burden and straightens the path.
We are assured that Jesus sits next to us on the couch as we cry in sorrow. He walks beside us as we enter the office of our boss full of anxiety. He guards our back as we enter the fight to protect our children. He strides before us into our day and prepares the way when our path is unsure. He is at work in our situation the minute we call out to Him.
I don’t know about you, but I need to hear this today. God is ready, willing, and able if we only afford Him the opportunity. Call out to Him and let the Great Physician go to work. He has the salve we all need.
About Shelley Pulliam
Howdy! (A girl from Oklahoma has to use this as her greeting) I’m Shelley Pulliam, executive director of Arise Ministries and former teacher of hormone-filled 8th graders. But my real claim to fame rests in my award as second grade spelling bee champ and my recent gun-handling skills as I train to competition shoot. It helps me be on guard when Satan comes knocking. I’m a voracious reader and can frequently be found at the theater enjoying movie marathons where my record stands at six in one day. I’m a single, never married, who loves to pour into children at every opportunity. Let me know if you have any for sale. You can connect with me on social media. https://www.instagram.com/shelleypulliam/