Psalms 147:3 Meaning and Explanation
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The God who counts the stars also stoops to mend the quiet wounds of a broken heart.
The Context of Psalms 147:3
A psalm of praise likely sung after the exiles returned and Jerusalem was being rebuilt (verse 2). The very next verse says this same God "telleth the number of the stars" and calls them all by name, setting His tender care for the hurting right beside His command of the heavens.
What Does Psalms 147:3 Mean?
The picture is gentle and physical. "Bindeth up" is what a careful healer does with a wound, wrapping it slowly, holding the torn edges together until they knit. And the wound here is inward, the "broken in heart," those whose hurt does not show on the skin. To a people just home from exile, carrying grief and loss, the psalm says God notices exactly this kind of pain, the sort the world often overlooks, and He comes near to tend it Himself.
What makes this so striking is its setting. The next breath of the psalm has God numbering the stars and naming each one. The same hands that hold the galaxies are gentle enough to bandage a broken heart. Jesus stood up in Nazareth and read that He was sent "to heal the brokenhearted" (Luke 4:18), and He spent His life proving it. The wounds we think no one sees are the very ones He bends down to bind.
Psalms 147:3 in the Original Language
chabash (חָבַשׁ), 'bindeth up' -- to bandage or wrap a wound, the tender work of a physician dressing an injury.
How to Apply Psalms 147:3 Today
When we are hurting in ways no one can see, this verse promises that God sees, and that He draws near as a healer, not a distant observer. The hands that hold the stars are gentle enough for our wounds, and in Jesus that healing came close enough to touch.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 147:3
What does Psalms 147:3 mean?
The God who counts the stars also stoops to mend the quiet wounds of a broken heart.
What is the context of Psalms 147:3?
A psalm of praise likely sung after the exiles returned and Jerusalem was being rebuilt (verse 2). The very next verse says this same God "telleth the number of the stars" and calls them all by name, setting His tender care for the hurting right beside His command of the heavens.
How can I apply Psalms 147:3 today?
When we are hurting in ways no one can see, this verse promises that God sees, and that He draws near as a healer, not a distant observer. The hands that hold the stars are gentle enough for our wounds, and in Jesus that healing came close enough to touch.