Healing the Broken Hearted

“He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.”

(Psalm 147:3)

“He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted.”

(Isaiah 61:1)

These verses remind me that there is healing for the broken hearted. I don’t know about you, but that comforts me. To know there is hope. Isaiah 61:1-4 have been significant verses for me on my journey of healing.

So, the other day, I decided to study these verses in the original Hebrew language and see what it really means. What I found was actually quite interesting.

The words “bind up” in both verses come from the Hebrew word, chabash. This word means “to tie, bind, bind on, bind about (like a head band, turban, tiara), to restrain, to bandage.” (1)

Did you notice the word bandage? Being a Physical Therapist, I often think in medical terms. So, to think of God bandaging up my wounds is a comforting thought. The picture I get is of God taking time to personally come and bind up or bandage my emotional wounds. Interesting thought, but that’s not all I found.

Stitch-by-Stitch

The word heal in Psalms 147:3 is the Hebrew word rapha which means, “to heal, to sew together or mend.” (2) It’s as if God is healing our hurts stitch by stitch.

Have you ever had stitches? Why do we need stitches? What is the purpose of stitches? To hold our wound together so it has time to heal. That’s the picture I get of what this word, rapha – “to heal”, does for us emotionally. We can’t see emotional healing like we can with a gaping cut on our arm, but God is able to heal us “stitch-by-stitch”.

A Broken Heart Can Cripple You Emotionally

Okay, so let’s look at the Hebrew word for brokenhearted, shabar, that we find in both of these verses.

“He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3) “He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted.” (Isaiah 61:1)

This is really interesting to me. Here are a few of the definitions: “to break in pieces, rend violently, crush, rupture, to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked, be shattered.” (3)

The same word is used in these ways:

• “Break the door” Gen 19:9
• “Break a bone” Exodus 12:46
• “Be hurt” Exodus 22:10,14
• “Torn” I King 13:26

Are you getting the picture?

To be broken hearted is to be broken into pieces, crushed, crippled, shattered, torn. It hurts. Some of you know exactly what I mean.

I see a picture of someone who was in a serious car accident and had their leg bone shattered to pieces. They are crippled and their bone is broken in pieces. But, then the doctor comes in to do surgery and puts all the pieces back together. It’s a process of healing and strengthening their leg again, but eventually they will walk again.

Superchick – Stand in the Rain

I listened to this song over and over when I was really going through some of my roughest moments. Sometimes I would have tears rolling down my cheeks – God really ministered to me through it, encouraging me to continue to stand firm through my trials.

There is Hope For Healing the Broken Hearted

Do you feel crippled today by your broken heart? Be encouraged and know that Jesus is the “doctor” that can do surgery to bind up and bandage the broken pieces back together and help you heal again. I know what it feels like to be “crippled” emotionally and spiritually for several years. But, I also know what it feels like to be able to “walk again” – experiencing the healing that only comes from Jesus. He restored me. And guess what?

He wants to do the same for you.

Porcelain Heart by Barlow Girl

What Helped Me

Everyone goes through healing differently, but here are a few emotional healing methods that helped me.

Don’t forget to send your prayer request to me – I want to pray for you and help support you through this difficult time. I believe it was the prayers of several women that pulled me through.