The Brokenhearted

Monday, January 02, 2012, 11:18 p.m. – The Lord woke me with the song, “Before the Throne of God Above,” playing in my mind. He also woke me with a quote from Psalm 34, vs. 18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Psalm 34:

Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.

1 I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

My Understanding: This psalm and this song offer much encouragement to the afflicted, the fearful, the poor and needy, those in trouble, the troubled at heart, those under attack from an enemy, the repentant and the sorrowful over sin, the brokenhearted, the crushed in spirit, those who are in Christ Jesus by God’s grace and through faith, and for the Lord’s servants who call upon him and who take refuge in him. The Lord will answer, and he will deliver his servants from all fears, and will save the humble of heart out of all troubles. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”

The psalmist calls on the saints of God to fear (stand in awe of; respect; honor; and obey) the Lord, “for those who fear him lack nothing.” Then, he said that he would teach the children of God what it means to fear the Lord. If we love life and we desire to see many good days, we need to keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking lies. We need to turn from evil (repent of sin) and do good; seek peace and pursue it (see vv. 9-14). And, we need to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in humble obedience and surrender to his will.

Then, we can come before the throne of God with confidence and assurance that God will listen, and that he will answer our prayers, because our names are engraved on his hands and are written on his heart through faith in Jesus Christ. Then, when Satan tempts us to despair because of sins previously committed, but now forgiven by Christ’s blood, we can look to Jesus and be reminded that Jesus paid for and put an end to our sin. Because he paid for our sin when he died on the cross, through faith in him our souls are counted free. Therefore, we have the hope of eternal life with God in heaven; and we are his forever.

Before the Throne of God Above / Charitie L. Bancroft / Vikki Cook

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is “Love,”
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart,
I know that while in heav’n He stands,
No tongue can bed me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free,
For God, the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there! The risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!

One with Himself I cannot die,
My soul is purchased with His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, My Savior and my God.

http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/e/beforetg.htm