Psalm 23:3

Lesson 9 -- The Soul’s Restoration

Psalm 23:3a

“He restoreth my soul”

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
   I shall not want.

² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
    He leads me beside the still waters.

³ He restores my soul;
    He leads me in the paths of righteousness
        For His name’s sake.

Phillip Keller, a shepherd and author of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, says, “It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. Our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance. Yet despite these adverse characteristics, Christ chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own and delights in caring for us.”

What is the “soul” and why would it need to be restored? The soul is a part of the “human trinity” of my body, soul, and spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says that all three need to be sanctified and preserved completely. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Good Shepherd does not restore the souls of those who do not belong to Him. He only returns what was once at a better place, close to the Shepherd’s heart. A person who is not saved cannot have a restoration of soul, unless he first is saved.

I spoke with a brother in Christ today who was clearly and admittedly agitated and irritated. What’s worse, I was the cause for his irritation. What was even worse than that, I saw myself and my easily troubled and unrestored emotions of irritations in him. In fact, if truth be told, the worst of all is, I have acted far worse than he did and I told him so. My soul, even though saved, needs to be restored from time to time. But God cannot restore something that has never been stored in the first place.

My soul can be redeemed or reclaimed by God from danger, either physical or spiritual harm (see Psalm 49:15, 34:22, 55:18, 69:18, 71:23). It can be instructed (Psalm 13:2, 19:7, 139:14) and is the seat of my appetites, desires, emotions, and personality. Therefore, my soul can be “cast down” (Psalm 42:5-6, 11) or sad (Psalm 35:12) or happy (see Psalm 35:9, 86:4) or vain (Psalm 24:4, 34:2) or patient (Psalm 33:20).

A shepherd counts and looks for his sheep not only because they wander off, but because they can often become physically cast down and unable to get back up. Without the help of a shepherd, they might never upright themselves and die within hours.

Shepherds are not the only ones who look for cast down sheep. Predators do as well. Jesus said to “beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves,” (Matthew 7:15). Paul also spoke of wolves entering into the church in Acts 20:29, where he said, “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.”

A restored soul will journey beside restful waters on a righteous way and that is why the soul’s restoration is placed between two commands to follow the leading shepherd. Let God and God alone lead your mind, will, and emotions.

Heavenly Father,
Thank You Lord for saving my soul.
Thank You Lord for making me whole.
Thank You Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free
Amen.*

 

Lesson 10 -- The Steps of Righteousness

Psalm 23:3b

“He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”

Baptist pastor and professor F.B. Meyer referred to Psalm 23 as the psalm of psalms, and that “This psalm speaks in language that the universal heart of man can comprehend. It exercises a spell that can charm away the griefs that bid a bold defiance to philosophy and mirth… It is an oasis in the desert…it is one of the most holy places in the temple of Scripture.” 

The Shepherd leads beside the still waters for my soul’s restoration and in the paths of righteousness for the Sake of His Name.

I am born in sin, walking in paths of unrighteousness. Like sheep, I am prone to wander by my very nature. Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” 

I am born again to walk in paths of righteousness. The Lord who is my shepherd searched for me and when He found me, He bore me on His shoulders and carried me home. Luke 15:6 says, “And when the shepherd came home, he called together his friends and neighbors, and said them, ‘Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.’” 

A New Path. I am born again to walk on new paths. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6). I am born again by faith to walk by faith, based on God’s word. “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever.” (Colossians 2:6 with 1 Peter 1:23). Being born again is not just about a new life, it is also about a new way of life; it is a walk on a new path. It is called “the washing of regeneration” and “the renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).  

As a result of my restored soul, my paths have changed. True sheep put their faith in the Shepherd, placing their trust so deeply that their actions naturally follow what they truly believe. That’s why Jesus said unbelief shown by not following is a sign of not being His sheep. “But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.” (John 10:26).  

A new produce. True sheep follow in the path of the Shepherd. A shepherd who has a wandering sheep may have to break its leg so that it will stay close to the shepherd and to the flock. Adversities bring me closer to the shepherd and also to the right paths. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27). 

Using a different analogy in John 15, Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away (lifts up); and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” A branch on the ground will not bear fruit and must be taken or lifted up. Even fruit bearing branches must be pruned so to bring forth fruits of righteousness, a new produce. 

A new people. True sheep hear his voice with a tender heart. We are now His people and I am a new person, no longer with a hardened heart but a hearing heart.  “For he is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart…” (Psalm 95:7-8) 

“Dear Lord, make a walk on new paths of righteousness. I’ve been down the other road and I don’t like where it leads. Bear new fruit in me and help me live my new life hearing your voice ringing in my ears. Amen.”

 

Lesson 11 -- The Sake of His Name

Psalm 23:3c

“for His name’s sake”

Why do parents get so much pride and joy out of their children and now I am finding out of our grandchildren? True, I raised them, but they are the ones who are studying, working, succeeding, and, yes, sometimes stumbling (of course that’s when they become Melissa’s kids!). And yet I enjoy their joys and am sad at their sorrows. It’s in the fine print or even the unwritten part of the contract, I suppose, of being a parent (wait! There’s a contract?!). 

So it is and so much more in being a child of God. What I do as a sheep of my Shepherd reflects on His name and His reputation. True, He is holy and nothing I do adds to or takes away from His holiness. But how I obey is just as related to His name’s sake just in the same way that when our children do well, I feel honored and when they are not doing well, I feel burdened. That’s why the Shepherd leads me on righteousness paths: For HIS name’s sake. For me, obedience restores my soul, but it is for His glory. “For… Your name’s sake lead me, and guide me” (Psalm 31:3). You see, God seeks a relationship and not a religion, but that relationship means that my actions relate to Him. Jesus used a sheep falling into a pit to show our relationship is more important than obeying God out of legalism. 

Matthew 12:11-12 says, “Then He said to them, ‘What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’ “

Religious works doesn’t save us. It is for His name’s sake that He saved us. His forgiveness is His mark on His sheep, signifying we are His. “For Your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity for it is great.” (Psalm 25:11 and Psalm 79:9). John wrote his first epistle to tell his friends that we are forgiven for the sake of His great name.  “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven, for His name’s sake.” (1 John 2:12). 

If our salvation is for His name’s sake, what is the purpose of our good works? Also for His name’s sake! “For My name’s sake you have labored and not fainted.” (Revelation 2:3). In fact, just about everything God does, from answering our prayers (2 Chronicles 6:32) to even not forsaking us (1 Samuel 12:22), is for His glory, His reputation.

But watch this: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 

Do you see what He did there? We are called by His name. We are joint heirs with Christ. When Christ died, He included us in His last will and testament. That’s why we call it the New Testament. His Great Name is our inheritance.

Lord Jesus, lead me so that I may glorify You for Your name’s sake. In the NAME of JESUS CHRIST I pray. Amen

* Words by Bill and Gloria Gaither