“The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭18‬ ‭CSB‬‬

In the Bible, David becomes a huge hero, king, and very important figure in the history of the Israelites and of Christianity. Jesus, the Messiah and Savior of the world, was promised to be David’s descendant. David was chosen by God, blessed by God, and loved by God.

And yet, David suffered. He suffered a lot. Later in his life he brought suffering on himself with bad choices and sin. But early in his life he suffered even though he followed God, worshipped God, obeyed God, and praised God exuberantly and often.

Today’s verse was written by David, like many of the Psalms, during a dark time. He was being hunted. He’d been betrayed, humiliated. He had no place to go that was safe. No family. No one he could trust. David should have been scared, angry, frustrated, desperate, despairing… but he wasn’t. He was like the Whos in Whoville after the Grinch stole their Christmas gifts. They should have been upset. The Grinch said, “Then the Whos down in Whoville will all cry BooHoo!” But instead they sang for joy like always. Because Christmas came “without packages, boxes, or bags.”

Suffering didn’t change David’s attitude.

I think that’s why God liked him so much. No matter the circumstances, David knew God. He trusted Him and believed Him. David knew God’s heart and His power. No matter how desperate his situation looked, he took God at His word, claimed God’s promises, and worshipped Him in the midst of the pain.

David is my hero. And so are the Whos. I want to have that kind of faith, the kind that prevents a broken heart and a crushed spirit from stealing my confident joy in Jesus. The kind that knows God is here even when the Grinch took everything from me.

Dear God,

Thank you for your promise to be with me during my broken hearted times and to save me when my spirit is crushed. Fill me with your Spirit that is never crushed. Give me your heart that always loves. Remind me to come to you with thanksgiving and worship in the middle of my suffering, like David, and the Whos, so that I can find joy, hope and peace.