Psalms 23:3
Our Shepherd is in the business of soul restoration. The only time that the Hebrew word ‘shuwb’ is translated as ‘restoreth’ in the Bible is here in verse 3; and it means “to return, to bring back and to refresh”. The ‘soul’ is what the Shepherd is refreshing, and this word is the same Hebrew word that is used at creation to describe the different “living creatures”. This word is all-encompassing, dealing with the life, the emotions and the passions of man.
The Psalmist is showing us that our Shepherd not only provides for our wants (verse 1) and our needs (verse 2), but that He also refreshes our body and our mind. The physical and emotional needs of His sheep are just as important to Him as the spiritual needs.
Sometimes we view God as caring only for things that affect our spirit man. We tend to see Him as concentrating entirely on our level of faith or whether or not goodness is coming from us, and this takes the personality out of God’s relationship with His creation. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), and that does not exclude the physical and the emotional.
The colon that comes after the phrase “He restoreth my soul:” tells us that whatever comes next is precisely HOW He restores us. “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalms 23:3).
In the Middle east, when a shepherd wants to take his flock to high ground it is often for safety and for green grass. The sheep are not built for traveling great distances, with their short legs and broad bodies. Trying to lead them up a steep incline is nearly impossible without being forced to carry most of them. To ease the journey up a mountain, the shepherds will lead the sheep, single-file along a pathway that wraps around the mountain. Though it takes a bit longer to get to the top, the progressive sloping and the smooth, worn dirt of the path make it easy for the sheep to arrive at the destination. The shepherds commonly refer to these paths as “the paths of righteousness”.
Jesus, our Great Shepherd, will lead us up these paths for the sake of His name. As we journey along life’s way, His righteousness will show forth through our lifestyles and our actions. While we are the ones arriving at the glorious destination, with our minds and bodies refreshed, He is getting the glory. Jesus preached as much in His Sermon on the Mount, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good woks and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Don’t be discouraged or alarmed if you cover some of the same spiritual material on your journey to rest and green grass. We are going up and around the mountain, meaning that sometimes the view will be the same as it was a few months ago. Grace works slowly, but it works sure! Just keep following the path of His righteousness for He certainly knows where He is going.
You cannot lead your way to righteousness. Our efforts will always fall short of the mountain’s peak, but if we will allow Him to do the leading, our following will be simple and our soul will be restored.
Our Shepherd is in the business of soul restoration. The only time that the Hebrew word ‘shuwb’ is translated as ‘restoreth’ in the Bible is here in verse 3; and it means “to return, to bring back and to refresh”. The ‘soul’ is what the Shepherd is refreshing, and this word is the same Hebrew word that is used at creation to describe the different “living creatures”. This word is all-encompassing, dealing with the life, the emotions and the passions of man.
The Psalmist is showing us that our Shepherd not only provides for our wants (verse 1) and our needs (verse 2), but that He also refreshes our body and our mind. The physical and emotional needs of His sheep are just as important to Him as the spiritual needs.
Sometimes we view God as caring only for things that affect our spirit man. We tend to see Him as concentrating entirely on our level of faith or whether or not goodness is coming from us, and this takes the personality out of God’s relationship with His creation. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), and that does not exclude the physical and the emotional.
The colon that comes after the phrase “He restoreth my soul:” tells us that whatever comes next is precisely HOW He restores us. “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalms 23:3).
In the Middle east, when a shepherd wants to take his flock to high ground it is often for safety and for green grass. The sheep are not built for traveling great distances, with their short legs and broad bodies. Trying to lead them up a steep incline is nearly impossible without being forced to carry most of them. To ease the journey up a mountain, the shepherds will lead the sheep, single-file along a pathway that wraps around the mountain. Though it takes a bit longer to get to the top, the progressive sloping and the smooth, worn dirt of the path make it easy for the sheep to arrive at the destination. The shepherds commonly refer to these paths as “the paths of righteousness”.
Jesus, our Great Shepherd, will lead us up these paths for the sake of His name. As we journey along life’s way, His righteousness will show forth through our lifestyles and our actions. While we are the ones arriving at the glorious destination, with our minds and bodies refreshed, He is getting the glory. Jesus preached as much in His Sermon on the Mount, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good woks and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Don’t be discouraged or alarmed if you cover some of the same spiritual material on your journey to rest and green grass. We are going up and around the mountain, meaning that sometimes the view will be the same as it was a few months ago. Grace works slowly, but it works sure! Just keep following the path of His righteousness for He certainly knows where He is going.
You cannot lead your way to righteousness. Our efforts will always fall short of the mountain’s peak, but if we will allow Him to do the leading, our following will be simple and our soul will be restored.
