Meet God in Scripture

Meet God in Psalms 51:17

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Psalms 51:17 (KJV)

Six ways to encounter God here

A passage is not only to be understood; it is to be lived with. Choose how you want to meet God in Psalms 51:17, and Living Bread opens it right there.

Read itSit with the words themselves in The Word.Study itContext, cross-references, and questions in Bible Study.Be still in itLet it quiet you in the Sanctuary.Pray itTurn it into a prayer of your own.Hide it in your heartMemorize it, word by word.Encounter it togetherGather a few people to walk through it.

The passage in its setting

Meeting God in a verse begins with hearing it where it lives, in the flow of Psalms 51. Read it slowly, and let the focal verse settle into its own context.

15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

The web of Scripture around it

Where this passage echoes across the Bible, from the cross-reference graph, 14 connected Scriptures. Each one is a door to meet God there too.

  • Psalms 34:18The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
  • Isaiah 66:2For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my …
  • Psalms 147:3He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
  • Luke 15:10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
  • Mark 12:33And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offer…
  • Matthew 5:3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  • 2 Chronicles 33:12And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
  • Psalms 102:17He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
  • Isaiah 57:15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the s…
  • Hebrews 13:16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
  • 1 Peter 2:5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
  • 2 Kings 22:19Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should becom…
  • Psalms 107:22And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
  • Amos 5:21I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

More to meet God in Psalms

Psalms 23:1Psalms 46:10Psalms 91:1Psalms 27:1Psalms 139:14Psalms 34:18Psalms 118:24Psalms 46:1Psalms 37:4Psalms 121:1Psalms 19:1Psalms 51:10Psalms 118:6Psalms 30:5

How it points to Christ

Every Scripture ultimately leads to Jesus. See how the whole Bible points to Him in Christ in all Scripture, then meet Him for yourself.