תהלים, פרק קמ״ז, פסוק ג׳

God's care reaches the deepest layers of human emotional and spiritual pain. His true greatness is shown in a striking contrast: though He is the master of the entire universe, He steps down to care for the smallest individuals and their inner struggles [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. While this care applies to all, the primary approach among commentators is that this healing focuses on a national level. The brokenhearted are the people of Israel who suffer in exile. Specifically, these are the mourners of Zion whose hearts are shattered by their many troubles and deep sadness [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, מאירי].

Offering a different spiritual perspective, another view suggests that the heart represents the evil inclination. In this light, the harsh suffering of exile serves a specific purpose, which is to break and conquer this negative drive. Once the nation humbles itself and repents, God steps in to heal them [אלשיך]. The pain they experience is generally understood as emotional sadness, heartache, and the heavy burden of oppression [ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, אלשיך]. However, another viewpoint explains that this suffering also includes actual physical plagues and wounds, which naturally bring about intense pain and sadness for the afflicted person [אבן עזרא, אלשיך].

When God heals these deep wounds, He acts as a dedicated doctor. The healing process is compared to carefully tying a bandage over a physical wound [מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא]. God gently places a bandage over the wounds of sadness. By doing so, He completely removes the emotional pain and transforms their deep sorrow into lasting joy and gladness [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, מאירי].