I was randomly listening to music this morning, and one of the songs was “Hurt,” sung by the late Johnny Cash. I’m typically not a Johnny Cash fan, but this song, sung near the end of his life, is haunting. It’s about a man who has lost himself in the pain of life, to the point where pain is almost like a friend.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18).
Some songs linger because they touch a truth we would rather avoid. This song resonates because it speaks of pain, regret, loss, and the uncomfortable reality that life leaves marks on all of us. It’s not a song we want to sing, but it’s also one difficult to ignore. Because all of us know what it feels like to lose at least a small part of ourselves to pain.
Most mornings, we do a fairly good job of carrying on. We go to work. We run errands. We smile at neighbors. We answer emails. We show up for family and friends.
Yet beneath the surface, many people carry hurts that others never see. Some are physical. Some are emotional. Some come from things done to us. Others come from things we wish we had done differently. And, as the years pass, we gather scars.
The psalmist understood this reality. Scripture is surprisingly honest about human pain. The Bible doesn’t pretend that faithful people are happy all the time or avoid hurt. David knew it. Jeremiah knew it. Peter knew it. Even Jesus wept at the death of a friend.
Yet Psalm 34 offers a remarkable promise: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.”
Notice it doesn’t say God is close only to the strong, the successful, or the people who have everything figured out. God is close to those in pain. Close to those carrying regrets. Close to those navigating loss. Close to those wondering if healing will ever come. Close to those who hurt.
And, even though we struggle to feel his presence, that’s when God comes even closer to us. Not because pain is good. But because Christ meets us there. And where Christ is present, healing remains possible.
Prayer: Compassionate Lord, you know the hurts I carry, both seen and unseen. Draw near to me in places of grief, regret, and pain. Bring healing where it is needed and hope where it has grown dim.
Amen.
