While this is hard to imagine, Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” The word translated broken is the Hebrew word shabar, which means to break in pieces or to shatter. Certain traumas go deep enough to shatter not only the soul, but also the spirit. When extremely severe trauma has been endured by a person, it is not uncommon to find that the spirit also exists in pieces.