The Song of the Brokenhearted

The Song of the Brokenhearted

If you have ever listened to country music, you’ll know that a majority of people in our country enjoy
hearing about brokenhearted people. Every other song is about how a person is sad, broken, depressed, or
alone because their love is gone or with someone else. Being a pretty positive person, it’s hard for me to
understand our obsession with being depressed, but maybe it’s just something that connects with our hurt
and pain.
That translates into our walk with God, doesn’t it? We often come to God when things are wrong,
pleading with Him to help us in some way. The Psalms are full of laments and prayers of petition to God
for salvation or a respite from trouble and sorrow, persecution and pain. One such Psalm, the 34 th , blends
praise of God with a promise to the brokenhearted. In one particular part of the Psalm we read,
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18  The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as  [d] have a contrite spirit.
It’s interesting to me that the Psalmist says that God is near the brokenhearted and saves the humble and
contrite (those who are willing to repent or change). God wants tender-hearted people who are sorrowful
to call to Him, and the promise here is that He delivers them. How He delivers them is not stated, only
that He does.
If God is near the brokenhearted, that means I want to be that way. Not sad or depressed, but lowly and
humble in heart, and willing to cry out in times of trouble. If we are righteous, God hears us and saves us
from the despair we face. He hears us at least, which means that God is present with those whose hearts
are humbled.
If you feel like that country singer with a broken heart, come before the Lord and put your trust in Him.
He has just what we need to mend our brokenness.

God bless this week,
Michael