18 The Lord is near to the heartbroken

And He saves those who are crushed in spirit (contrite in heart, truly sorry for their sin).

17 My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit;

A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.

3 He heals the brokenhearted

And binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow]. [Ps 34:18; Is 57:15; 61:1; Luke 4:18]

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,

But God is the rock and strength of my heart and my portion forever.

15 For the high and exalted One

He who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy says this,

"I dwell on the high and holy place,

But also with the *contrite and humble in spirit

In order to revive the spirit of the humble

And to revive the heart of the contrite [overcome with sorrow for sin]. [Matt 5:3]

2 "For all these things My hand has made,

So all these things came into being [by and for Me]," declares the Lord.

"But to this one I will look [graciously],

To him who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who [reverently] trembles at My word and honors My commands. [John 4:24]

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me

To bring good news to the humble and afflicted;

He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted,

To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives

And freedom to prisoners, [Rom 10:15]

2 To proclaim *the favorable year of the Lord,

*And the day of vengeance and retribution of our God,

To comfort all who mourn, [Matt 11:2-6; Luke 4:18, 19; 7:22]

3 To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following:

To give them a *turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning],

The oil of joy instead of mourning,

The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.

So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God],

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

3 "Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever]. [Luke 6:20-23]

4 "Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted]. [Is 61:2]

5 "Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the *gentle [the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will inherit the earth. [Ps 37:11]

10 For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death. 11 For [you can look back and] see what an earnestness and authentic concern this godly sorrow has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves [against charges that you tolerate sin], what indignation [at sin], what fear [of offending God], what longing [for righteousness and justice], what passion [to do what is right], what readiness to punish [those who sin and those who tolerate sin]! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in the matter.

9 but He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness." Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.