“He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3

Psalm 23 is one of the most recognizable Psalms in the Bible. We are currently unpacking this Psalm to enhance our understanding of our relationship with God.

So far, we have learned that “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want,” and “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters.” Both verses are loaded with content defining God’s relationship with us. (You can check out articles one and two here.)

Verse three raises the question, “If the LORD is my shepherd and I shall not want, and He provides me with rest, then why does my soul need to be restored?”

There are a few reasons why we need to be restored.

#1 The Battle with Temptation.

Although we have been born again, our flesh craves sin, creating opportunities for us to sin.

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15

As long as we are in this body, the battle of temptation will be present. But as we confess and repent, our Shepherd will forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

#2 The Battle for My Way.

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;” Isaiah 53:6a

There are times when we think we know better than our shepherd and go our own way, only to find out that our way was not as good as we thought. Submission is key to our flourishing under His care.

#3 The Battle of Life.

Life has a way of wearing us down by overwhelming our physical, mental, and emotional health, making us vulnerable to falling into a rut and depleting us of vitality. The Psalmist, David writes;

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Psalm 42:11

“Cast down” is a shepherd’s term that refers to a sheep who has fallen and can’t get up. If a shepherd doesn’t locate and set up right the cast sheep quickly, the sheep will die.

Several factors contribute to sheep becoming cast, and we will look at two of those. The parallels to humans are uncanny.

#1 Comfort

Sheep always look for comfortable, soft, rounded hollows in the ground to lie. Yet it’s this position that causes them to be cast down.

In the Christian life, there is a danger in looking for the easy path, a comfort zone, the path of least resistance, and the way that requires the least amount of discipline.

The life of a Christian is marked by discipline and self-control, which yield a harvest of righteousness. This is made possible by the Holy Spirit, who helps us.

#2 Inactive Sheep

Sheep who eat, eat, eat, and maintain an inactive lifestyle are twice as likely to be cast down. As Christians, we are not meant to be only takers but givers.  

God’s system for spiritual growth is a combination of being a hearer and a doer of the Word. If we are only hearing but are not being doers, we risk being cast down.

“For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.” 1 Corinthians 4:20

The church is not a gathering of academia but people of action. Another by-product of faith is serving.

“even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28

If we have fallen into the comfort trap or are only a hearer of God’s Word, we are setting ourselves up to be cast down, stuck in a spiritual rut.

When a shepherd locates his cast sheep, he will first set it right side up. The gases that built up in the stomach caused the circulation in the legs to be cut off, making them unable to stand.

The shepherd will hold up and rub the legs of the sheep to facilitate blood flow and, if necessary, will pick the sheep up and carry it on his shoulders back to the flock.

The beautiful promise from our Shepherd is that He does not judge or condemn us when we need to be restored but reaches out to us and sets us back on the right course.

“He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name sake.”

Sheep are notorious creatures of habit. Left to themselves, they will destroy the land and themselves. The safest way to manage a flock is to keep them on the move.

A shepherd must know the terrain and have a predetermined plan to ensure the best care for the sheep and the land. The shepherd’s name and reputation are built on his ability to do so.

Paths of righteousness also indicate that God’s plans are for our benefit, to give us hope and a future.

His leadership is not about what’s easier or most convenient for himself but what’s best for the sheep. We can trust our shepherd has an intentional plan for our good.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Proverbs 14:12

Our way may seem better to us, but ultimately, it leads to death.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

God has come to give life and life abundantly.

As your shepherd, the LORD has put His name on the line, ensuring us the best care possible. He leads you in righteous, good, fulfilling, and abundant life-giving paths that satisfy and complete us.