Matthew 11:28
About this verseJesus invites everyone who is worn out and weighed down to come to him and find rest.
Psalm 34:18
When a heart is broken and a spirit is crushed, the Lord draws close and rescues.
The LORD stays close to those whose hearts are broken, and rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
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Say the verse aloud, filling in each blank. Tap a blank for a hint.
What Psalm 34:18 means
Grief often feels like distance — from other people, and from God. This verse says the opposite is true: brokenness is not what pushes God away, it is where he draws near.
There is no condition attached, no instruction to cheer up first. The nearness is stated as simple fact about how God behaves toward crushed people. For anyone sitting with loss, it is a short thing to hold on to when longer prayers will not come.
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Questions about Psalm 34:18
What does Psalm 34:18 mean?
It means God is especially close to those whose hearts are broken and whose spirits are crushed, and that he rescues them — grief draws his nearness rather than his distance.
Is Psalm 34:18 a good verse for grief?
Yes. It makes no demand of the grieving person and offers no explanation of the loss. It simply promises God’s nearness, which is usually what is needed before anything else.