He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds.Psalm 147:3 Explainer ## Introduction - In Plain Language: God cares for people who are hurting—He heals broken hearts and helps mend the pain they carry. - Big idea: God is a compassionate healer who repairs emotional and spiritual wounds, not just physical needs. - Key points: - The verse pictures God as tender, active, and present with those who are hurting. - “Healing” here includes emotional and spiritual restoration, not only physical cures. - The image of binding wounds shows personal, careful tending—not a distant or impersonal fix. ## Context - Where this verse fits in: Psalm 147 is a short hymn of praise in the final collection of the Psalms (Book V, Psalms 146–150). It celebrates God’s power, care for creation, and special concern for Jerusalem and Israel. Verse 3 is one line in a broader song about God’s restoring and sustaining work. - Story timeline: Likely composed or collected in the post-exilic period (after the return from Babylonian exile) as part of worship in the restored community. The audience is Israel/Judah worshipers; the speaker is the psalmist, singing on behalf of the community about God’s actions. - Surrounding passage (summary of 1–3 and a little after): - Verses 1–2: An opening call to praise God for His goodness; God rebuilds Jerusalem and gathers exiles. - Verse 3: God heals the brokenhearted and binds their wounds (comfort and restoration). - Verses 4–6: The psalm goes on to praise God’s power over the skies and his care for the humble, highlighting both cosmic power and tender care. ## Explanation - Quick take: Psalm 147:3 tells us that God actively cares for people who are broken—He heals the inner damage and carefully tends their hurts. - In Depth: - The verbs are not distant or theoretical—this is an active picture of God doing something. “He heals” and “binds up” are hands-on images: a healer who tends wounds, not just a ruler who makes pronouncements. - “Broken in heart” (brokenhearted) covers emotional and spiritual pain: grief, shame, despair, loneliness, and the wounds left by life’s hard realities. The image is one of inner fracture rather than only surface trouble. - “Bindeth up their wounds” uses the language of a caregiver: cleaning, bandaging, and protecting a wound while it heals. This implies both immediate care and an ongoing healing process. - Within the psalm, this line balances God’s greatness (counting the stars, controlling nature) with intimate kindness—God is both mighty and tender. That pairing reassures worshipers that power and compassion belong together in God’s character. - The verse’s themes are echoed elsewhere in the Bible (Isaiah 61:1; Psalm 34:18; Luke 4:18), where healing of heart and restoration are central to God’s mission. ## Key Words - Rōpē’ (רוֹפֵא) — “healer” or “heals” (root רָפָא, rapha): to make whole, restore. - Nishberē lev (נִשְׁבְּרֵי לֵב) — “broken of heart” / brokenhearted: deep inner brokenness or grief. - M’chabbēsh (מְחַבֵּשׁ) — “binds up” (root חָבַשׁ, chabash): to bandage, bind, or mend. - Atzvotam (לְעָצְבוֹתָם) — “their wounds/pains/sorrows”: physical or emotional hurts, the things that afflict a person. ## Background - Ancient cultural/literary background: In ancient Israel, metaphors of healing and binding wounds were common to describe God’s care. The psalm contrasts human weakness with divine care. The image of repairing the brokenhearted also fits the communal mood of a people rebuilding city and life after exile—God repairs what has been shattered. - Literary role: Psalm 147 alternates between praising God’s cosmic power and celebrating his care for the needy and marginal. Verse 3 is one of the lines focused on God’s compassionate care. ## Theology - Theological insights in plain language: - God is personally compassionate: He notices inner pain and acts to restore it. - Divine healing is holistic: God cares for heart, mind, relationships, and body. - God’s power is not merely dominion but restorative—He rebuilds what’s broken. ## Application To Your Life - For workers: When stress and burnout leave you discouraged, remember God notices inner fractures and can restore perspective and strength—seek rest, wise help, and God’s comfort. - For parents: If your child struggles emotionally, you can bring their pain to God and model tending wounds with patience and gentle care. - For seekers and the hurting: This verse offers hope that emotional and spiritual wounds are not ignored by God—he wants to heal and bind your hurt. - For pastors and caregivers: The image calls you to be a healing presence—listen, tend, and help people toward restoration rather than minimizing pain. - Reflection questions: 1. What wounds (grief, shame, bitterness) do I need to bring to God for healing? 2. Who around me needs gentle, practical care and “wound binding” this week? - Short prayer: Lord, you see my broken places—come and heal what is hurt, and teach me to be a gentle helper to others. ## Translation Comparison - King James Version (KJV): “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” - New International Version (NIV): “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” - English Standard Version (ESV): “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” - New Living Translation (NLT): “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” - New American Standard Bible (NASB): “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” - Why differences matter: Most modern translations agree on the core: God heals inner brokenness and tends wounds. Small differences—“binds up” vs. “bandages,” “broken in heart” vs. “brokenhearted”—are mostly stylistic. The Hebrew verb for heal (rapha) and for bind (chabash) suggest both immediate care and ongoing restoration; translations try to capture that medical/caring image in slightly different wording. ## FAQs - Q: Does Psalm 147:3 promise God will cure every physical disease? - Short answer: The verse primarily promises God’s healing of broken hearts and tending of wounds—emotional, spiritual, and sometimes bodily. While Scripture includes promises of physical healing in other places, Psalm 147:3 emphasizes God’s compassionate care for inner brokenness and the process of restoration. That doesn’t guarantee every physical illness will be instantly removed, but it does promise God’s presence, care, and healing activity in ways that bring restoration, comfort, and meaning. Many believers experience physical healing, but many also experience God’s healing as a mix of comfort, changed perspective, strengthening through suffering, or gradual recovery. In pastoral practice, this verse encourages prayer, wise medical help, community support, and hope that God is working to mend what is broken. - Q: What does “broken in heart” mean in everyday life? - Short answer: “Broken in heart” describes deep inner pain—grief, disappointment, betrayal, loneliness, shame, or spiritual desolation. It’s more than a bad day; it’s the kind of hurt that makes a person feel fractured or unable to cope. The psalm assures us that God sees this inner condition and takes action to restore and mend. Practically, that can look like consolation, renewed hope, emotional healing in therapy or community, reconciliation in relationships, or a new sense of purpose. The verse invites people to bring their inner brokenness before God rather than hiding it, and it calls communities to be instruments of God’s healing care. ## Cross References - Isaiah 61:1 — God’s mission includes “to bind up the brokenhearted” (a clear thematic parallel). - Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” - Luke 4:18 — Jesus reads Isaiah and declares good news to the poor and freedom to the brokenhearted. - Jeremiah 30:17 — “I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal” (restoration promise). - Matthew 11:28 — Jesus invites the weary and burdened to find rest. ## Deeper Study - Commentary synthesis (high-level): Commentators treat Psalm 147 as a liturgical hymn praising God for both cosmic sovereignty and tender care. Verse 3 is highlighted for its pastoral and theological depth: it shows God’s compassion toward individual suffering and connects national restoration (post-exile rebuilding) with personal healing. Scholars note the echo of Isaiah’s prophetic promise and the way New Testament writers (Luke) pick up the same language to describe Jesus’ ministry. - Group study bullets: - Read verses 1–6 together; identify contrasts between God’s cosmic power and personal care—how do they relate? - Share (voluntarily) a time when you felt “brokenhearted” and what helped you move toward healing. - Role-play a pastoral visit: practice listening and “binding up” another’s hurt with scripture, presence, and practical help. - Pray for local people or groups who need healing and brainstorm concrete ways the group can help (meals, listening sessions, counseling resources). ## Related verses (compare and contrast) - Isaiah 61:1 — “...to bind up the brokenhearted...” Why: Same language of binding up wounds; Isaiah gives the prophetic promise that Jesus later applies to His ministry. - Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted...” Why: Emphasizes God’s closeness in pain, complementing Psalm 147:3’s active healing. - Luke 4:18 — Jesus announces good news to the brokenhearted (quoting Isaiah). Why: Shows continuity from Hebrew Scriptures into Jesus’ mission—he embodies the God who heals the broken. ## Talk to the Bible Try the “Talk To The Bible” feature to dig deeper into how this verse connects to life and other scriptures. Suggested prompts: - “Compare Psalm 147:3 and Isaiah 61:1—what is similar and what’s different?” - “How does the image of ‘binding up wounds’ help me think about caring for someone with depression or grief?” - “Show me New Testament passages where Jesus heals broken hearts and explain the links.”
