Psalm 23:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

NIV: he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.

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

CSB: He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name's sake.

NLT: He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

KJV: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

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

David credits the Lord, his shepherd, with restoring or refreshing his soul. In Bible times, if a sheep became injured, its shepherd would treat its wounds until its good health returned. How often the Lord restores us to good spiritual health after the evil world system has hurt us, or, even more often, when we have hurt ourselves by failing to follow Him closely! When Peter relied on self-confidence to keep him faithful to the Lord, he failed miserably, but the Good Shepherd graciously restored him to spiritual health (John 21:15–19).

Sheep were accustomed to following their shepherd in well-worn paths, but occasionally a sheep would stray from a safe path and become lost. Then the shepherd would leave the rest of the sheep in the custody of helpers and go searching for the lost sheep. Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), leads us in paths of righteousness, but we may wander from the chosen path. Then Jesus searches until He finds us and restores us. In Luke 15:3–7 Jesus told a parable about a shepherd who had one hundred sheep, but when one went astray, he searched for it until he found it. Then he laid it on his shoulders, brought it home, and summoned his friends and neighbors to celebrate its recovery with him.

Psalm 23:1–3 extolls the blessings bestowed on David by the Lord, his personal shepherd. The scene is peaceful and personal. In John 10:11 Jesus identified Himself as the Good Shepherd. He does for His sheep what David describes in Psalm 23:1–3. He leads his sheep (John 10:3–4); guides them to pasture (John 10:9); restores their souls (Joh 10:10); and protects them (John 10:11–15).

David celebrates the protection and guidance of God. Sheep guarded by a skilled shepherd are led to food and water, and protected from harm. In the same way, David praises God for giving him peace. The knowledge of God's protection and provision are a great comfort. This psalm incorporates themes of supply, defense, assurance, and care from God.

This psalm lies between Psalm 22, which depicts Jesus as suffering, and Psalm 24 which depicts Him as sovereign. Psalm 23 depicts Christ as the all-sufficient shepherd. The psalms together focus on the shepherd's cross, his crook, and his crown. In John 10, Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd, echoing many of the themes explored in this passage.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.