Crushed in Spirit

Spirit Studies

 

Introduction

Many people misunderstand the terms soul and spirit in the Bible. They describe distinct parts of human beings, despite what many people teach, saying they are same and indistinguishable. Translators often mistranslate the term soul, and less often the term spirit. In this short study, we will focus upon the concept of crushed in spirit.

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Psalm 34:18

Yahweh is near to the broken of heart, and crushed in spirit He will cause salvation. 

Psalm 34:18

In Psalm 34:18, God revealed that Yahweh is near to the broken of heart, and crushed in spirit He will cause salvation.  ¹The Hebrew text provides: קָר֣וֹב יְ֭הוָה לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֑ב וְֽאֶת־דַּכְּאֵי־ר֥וּחַ יוֹשִֽׁי  (Psalm 134:18–English). Therefore, we observe that the heart is not the same as the spirit. In this case, the heart can be broken while the spirit can be crushed. In this case, the term “crushed” means to crush into small pieces. The term for crushed (“דַּכָּ֑א”)  only occurs three times in the Old Testament. In Psalm 90:3, “God returns a man to crushed and You say, Return children of men.” ²The Hebrew text provides”תָּשֵׁ֣ב אֱ֭נוֹשׁ עַד־דַּכָּ֑א וַ֝תֹּ֗אמֶר שׁ֣וּבוּ בְנֵי־אָדָֽם (Psalm 90:3). The term “crushed” in Psalm 90:3 describes a man dissolved to pieces before God. Finally, in Isaiah 57:15, God revealed: “For thus says High One and Lifted One inhabiting until, and Holy His Name high and holy I dwell and crushed and lowly spirit to cause to live on spirit of humble ones and to cause to live on heart of crushed ones”. ³The Hebrew text provides: “כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֗א שֹׁכֵ֥ן עַד֙ וְקָד֣וֹשׁ שְׁמ֔וֹ מָר֥וֹם וְקָד֖וֹשׁ אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן וְאֶת־דַּכָּא֙ וּשְׁפַל־ר֔וּחַ לְהַחֲיוֹת֙ ר֣וּחַ שְׁפָלִ֔ים וּֽלְהַחֲי֖וֹת לֵ֥ב נִדְכָּאִֽים׃ (Isaiah 57:15). In Genesis 6:19, 8:20, 19:19, 50:20, and 2 Samuel 8:2, the Hebrew term for “lived on” (“לְהַחֲיֹ֥ת”) means to keep alive.  Therefore, the crushed in spirit take their place with the holy ones who are lowly before Yahweh. Although some people are crushed in spirit, Yahweh has the power to return the crushed in spirit to live on and have their hearts returned to live on. Crushed in spirit people may feel like their lives are over. Yet, Yahweh has the power to keep them alive and make them prosper in His hands. 

 

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