Psalm 34:18

"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

So often I use this verse as a comfort for people. And, I, myself, have meditated on it in trial. He is near. He saves! I decided to tear it apart...

"The LORD"
   ~ this word is "Jehovah" in Hebrew. It means self existent or eternal. I love how God starts off this verse with LORD. In His omnipotence and eternality, He loves us!

"is near"
   ~ qârôb qârôb: it means, near, allied, approach, at hand. Jehovah is at hand in trial! In a few words, this verse holds more comfort than any mere man can offer.

   Jesus is at hand!

"the the brokenhearted"
   ~ shâbar is where our Bible translations get "broken." it means: to burst, break in pieces, crush, destroy, hurt, or tear.
  ~ lêb is where heart comes from. which means the center of anything (anything in this case being the person, the very soul of a person).

   Jehovah is at hand when the very inward  being of a person is burst or torn or broken. How loving is our Father?!

"and saves"
 ~ yâsha‛: to be open, wide, free (by implication, therefore, defend, preserve, or rescue)

   Jehovah is not only at hand when the center of our being is tormented by sorrow. He defends, preserves and rescues...

"the crushed"
   ~ dakkâ': God's word is poetic, especially in the Psalms. It would seem as if He just repeats the same idea as "broken" in the end of the verse. But this word that we translate as crushed actually means "powder."

"in spirit"
   ~ rûach: means "wind," in this case is used figuratively as spirit, meaning the rational being.

   Jehovah is at hand in the center of sorrow when our soul is broken. He then preserves those whose spirit has been ground to dust. If it wasn't for Him, the sorrows and trials of life could overcome us.

But, God:

   In His loving-kindness has seen fit to provide us with Jehovah. The One who is right by us when all this life could just crush us into a fine powder. he alone has the power to put that powder back together again and preserve our spirits.

   If the waves are tall today, cling to Him. He is the Preserver. He is the Healer. He is Jehovah.

He is at hand.