Psalm 31:12 "I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery."

This verse represents David’s experience in ancient Israel when he was feeling abandoned and metaphorically feeling like a broken person. He describes himself as being forgotten as a form of social death, lacking support from his community as if he no longer mattered or existed. David refers to himself as a ‘broken vessel’—like a clay pot that is broken and can no longer hold water. It gives a visual representation of being shattered, useless, and discarded in the eyes of others.

I gravitated to this verse because it resonates with how I once felt emotionally ‘broken’ with despair and sought solace within God’s house. And like pottery being mended, I was reminded, of the Japanese art form of Kintsugi which mends broken pottery. Rather than hiding the damage, Kintsugi celebrates the object's history and creates a unique, more beautiful piece by highlighting the fractures, embracing imperfection, and honoring history--making the original piece of art more beautiful, meaningful and of greater worth than before it was broken. This verse reminds me of how we as humans can be vulnerable and feel frail in the deepest points in our lives. And yet, we are able to mend our fractured selves to regain our self-worth and our ability to be resilient in the face of despair.

The context of the psalm is that in our deepest moments of despair, these feelings can and should be vocalized to a higher power or trusted source of support, which eventually leads to hope and deliverance. The verse captures the overall fear of being utterly forgotten and rendered useless, providing a voice for those who feel invisible and demonstrating that these feelings are a recognized part of the human condition.

Vivian Busenbark