He Restores My Soul

Review:

My Shepherd

This was for the believer only. The one who is following the Lord.

There is peace in this knowledge, I shall not want.

He provides a bounty for us to enjoy so that we lay down and rest in the bounty.

He leads us by still water, places that are perfect for us.

He is actively providing and caring for us.

Isaiah 41:10 “10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”

He Restores my soul

What comes before?

Way Before in Psalms 22.

Psalm 22:1–2 “1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? 2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent.”

This is obviously fulfilled in Christ.

But it was also a time in Davids life where He was struggling.

Maybe when he served the Philitstines.

Having to pretend to be mad to escape.

Or in Ziglag as he is called to go to war against Israel and King Saul.

Or when He returns and finds His wives, kids and town gone, the building burned.

Yet it is the same Psalmist, and the same God.

the times of withdrawing.

One is when we get our eyes off of the power of the Lord and follow our own way. Our own wisdom.

Sometimes for reasons of His own or something that God sees in us, He leads us to a time of withdrawl. Testing us to strengthen us.

When you plant trees in Kenya you had to baby the trees for the first year to get the roots deep enough to grow.

Yet after that, you let times of draught hit the trees, pushing them to send their roots deep and wide, preparing for struggles.

Then when the rains came there was abundant fruit and the tree could support it.

We find ourselves crying out to God. This is common for all of us.

I would point out that there is a blessing that we have that David did not.

We know that Jesus went through the ultimate separation from God for our sake. He let the Father punish Him till our sin was paid in full.

So when we read these words and have these feelings, we should also remember the Love of God that brought us back. Taking our place to open the way to Him.

Just before: The green pastures and the still waters.

God also makes provisions to provide for us if we will follow Him.

This can be in the natural life around us and God reminds us of His creativity, wisdom and power in the design of Creation.

It should also remind us that this was made for us to enjoy.

It is a gift from God, just as the garden was.

Yet it is also is about provisions, we all need food and drink.

Elizabeth Elliot spoke about raising fund for missions and her belief that if we would let God do this work, it would be done better and be a blessing to all. I agree. It became an encouragement to us.

Philippians 4:19 “19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 84:11 “11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.”

Luke 12:30–33 “30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. 32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.”

Just After:

Psalm 23:3 “3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”

Here He shows another area of provision, that of spiritual food.

He leads me. Personal and individual leading from God.

So often we are are most afraid, most distressed as we think that have been forgotten or abandoned by God.

Yet God has given us abundant evidence and many promises that He will never leave us or forsake us.

Evidence:

He sent His Son to die in our place and to rescue us from His wrath, paying for our sins completely.

We can hope in His love.

Trust in the Work of Christ.

He created a good world with sufficient food for all and beauty to enjoy.

He gives us sleep to refresh us.

Promises

Romans 8:31–35 “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

Hebrews 13:5 “5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””

Deuteronomy 31:6 “6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”” (To Joshua as the battle for the Land was going to start.)

Moses is dying.

The older men have all perished. Joshua and Caleb alone are left with this monumental work.

Yet there courage was to be based, not on their strength for the work, but on the fact that the Living God was going with with them and had promised “I will never leave you nor forsake you!” What a blessing.

He Restores My Soul

Such a simple statement, only four words. Yet Each one is full of meaning.

First Word “He”

This is about what the Psalmist knows about God.

God as the Good Shepherd is intimately involved with the affairs of our life, including our souls. He is going to be working on our behalf.

He is the Good Shepherd, I can trust in that.

Second Word “Restores”

Oh how I love this word.

I am often at the end of strength, the end of encouragement, the end of hope. All things that it would seem to be impossible to deal with.

There are intangible.

There are usually affected by world wide / very large problems.

Yet God doesn’t need help. At the innermost level of my life, at the soul level that man can’t even find with His medicine. He does something.

He restores. He gives back, He increases....

It is a miracle. Just look at the change from Psalms 22 to 23. David has changed. Why? God has worked in his soul. He has been restored renewed and been strengthened for the task ahead.

Third Word “My”

This doesn’t happen to everyone but us. Always somewhere else that we are hearing of.

We find it happening to us, inside of us and God Himself descends to do a work in my own heart.

This isn’t for the King who David would become, but for the sheep of His pasture. They are His so He will do a good work and their shepherd.

A lowly, sheep.

Soul

We can’t even find it, yet God fills it and restores it. He cleans and strengthens it.

It is the foundation of who we are. The part that think in our head about ourselves, that makes decisions, judges words, remembers hurts, think and plans for the future. GETS DEPRESSED.

Here is where God joins us. He restores our soul.

Conclusion

You might find yourself in Psalms 22 or in Psalms 23 tonight. But let me encourage you that if the Lord is your shepherd, regardless of how you feel, you are in Psalms 23.

He is leading you.

He is providing for you.

He is restoring your soul.