◄ What Does Psalm 23:3 Mean? ►

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

Psalm 23:3(NASB)

Verse of the Day

While David was a young herdsman who discovered that Lord was his own, personal Shepherd, Who provided for his every need, gave him peace in his heart and sustained his soul, he grew up to be a man who loved the Lord. David was a man after God's own heart, who spent hours reflecting on the many blessings he received from the God of his salvation.

From his early years, when he tended his father's flock... to his dying days as the shepherd-king of Israel, David was a man who proved the Lord to be a faithful God, Whose Word was to be trusted. He found the Lord was a God Who kept His promises, and Whose loving-kindness and great goodness never failed. "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..." David wrote, as he meditated on Scripture, day and night. "He makes me to lie down in green pastures."

"The Lord restores my soul", he continues, "He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake." These beautiful words are from the canticle that has comforted multiple millions of weary souls, and encouraged countless generations, since the time that Israel's beloved Shepherd-King, penned this well-loved Psalm.

"He refreshes my soul. He restores my life, and He guides me along the godly way for the honour of His name." These beautiful truths that stream from the 23rd Psalm have granted consolation to many weary souls - both Jew and Gentile - both saved and unsaved. Just as David found himself to be spiritually parched and in need of direction, so saints down through centuries of time, have turned to these words to bring solace, sympathy, healing, and hope in this broken world system.

These wonderful words have not lost any of their deep impact in the difficult days we all are facing today. Rather, as we meditate on these simple truths, we discover their significance is magnified and multiplied... for it is as we reflect upon these comforting words that we find in them the beloved face of Jesus, Who has become our own Good Shepherd. And He continues to lead each one of us into the way of everlasting grace and peace, righteousness, and love.

He first restored our soul into newness of life, through the quickening power of His death and resurrection, when we first trusted in His name for our great salvation. He continues to revive our fainting soul and reinvigorate our sagging spirit, when we find ourselves wearied by the world's pressures or discover we are exhausted, hurt, anxious, or simply worn down in this troublesome life.

But He also finds us and restores us from the error of our foolish wanderings and then gently guides us back into the path of peace, where He establishes our way and leads us along the proper path, for He knows the way that we should take... and after He has tested and tried us, for a little time, we shall come forth as gold.

Our great Shepherd of the sheep will not lose one of us, however much we stray from Him, for we are protected in the powerful palm of His pierced hand and we are covered by the caring love of our heavenly Father. "I will never leave you nor forsake you", is His ever-present promise to each one of His little flock. "Cast ALL your cares on ME", He urges, for He cares for YOU.

If restoration and protection depended on me, I would be neither restored nor protected. If I were to plan my own path I would fail and fall - but my restoration and protection depends on Him, for He restores my soul and He guides me in the path of righteousness, for His name's sake... and His promise to me, is equally valid for you, as well.

Like many wonderful promises throughout Scripture, these beautiful words, which have comforted countless millions of believers, assure us that restoration, guidance, protection, and peace is His promise of love to us all, for HE restores our soul and HE leads all His children in the way of goodness and peace. And He does this for our eternal benefit and for the honour and glory of His holy name.

My Prayer

Father of all grace and mercy, I praise Your name for Your wonderful words of comfort and Your promise that nothing can ever pluck me out of Your hand. Thank You that no matter what I do, You will restore me and lead me along life’s path, for the honour of Your name. Keep me, I pray, from wandering far from You and may all I do, from this day forward, be to Your honour and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.