Healing Praise for the Brokenhearted

When everything is going well in our lives, it can be easy to praise God. We sing with gratitude when we receive the promotion we prayed for, when someone we love receives healing, or when our circumstances align just as we hoped. What about when we have broken hearts and low spirits? Is it possible to find a song of praise during our deepest pain as we experience loss, disappointment, uncertainty, and even betrayal?

Shortly after the deaths of loved ones, I sat down with a heavy heart for a time of quiet devotion. I began reading Psalm 147 and noticed it begins and ends with the command, “Praise the Lord!” The psalmist declares that it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. (Psalm 147:1 esv) This is not a suggestion but a joyful declaration of truth. Praise is not just something we do; it is a posture of the heart that befits those who serve God.

As I continued reading, Psalm 147:3 gave me a powerful reason to praise Him, especially when I was hurting: He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (v. 3) This showed me a beautiful image of God as a compassionate and attentive healer. He does not just see our pain; He actively participates in our healing. He knows our pain intimately and is committed to our restoration.

I love that this psalm does not ignore the brokenness we experience. It places God’s healing power right in the middle of our praise. The same God who determines the number of the stars and gives to all of them their names is the same one who tends to our broken hearts (v. 4). He is a God of infinite power, yet He uses that power for the most personal and intimate work of all: healing our broken hearts and wounds.

Sometimes, a song of praise is the very thing we need to open our hearts to God’s healing touch. When we choose to praise Him even in our pain, we declare that His power is greater than our problems and that His love is deeper than our sorrow. It is an act of faith that says, “I may be broken, but I know my Healer is here.”

So today, as you navigate your circumstances, no matter how difficult they may be, remember the invitation to praise. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving. (v. 7) Let your praise be a prayer that invites His healing to begin, and may you experience His healing in the middle of your praise just as I did. He mends us when we are broken and makes all things new.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, my heart is hurting, and I feel broken, but I choose to praise You because You are my Healer. Thank You for seeing my pain and for being the God who binds up my wounds. Help me trust in Your restorative power and to find a song of praise even in my sorrow. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Scripture is quoted from are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.