“He Restores My Soul”

Seeing that we are prone to go astray, these are words are very comforting. Have you ever wandered away from the safe presence of God and found yourself in the wilderness of sin? Have you ever strayed, even if it was just for a short period of time, and found yourself lost in the desert of disobedience? If you can honestly say “no” to these questions, this portion of Psalms twenty-three probably does not do much for you, but for the rest of us who need restoring from time to time, it is a Psalm of great comfort.

As we think about restoration, just who is it that does the restoring? Well, it is not brethren who restore us, and we certainly do not restore ourselves; nor does it just happen by chance. No, the restoring is done by the Lord. Now, let’s be clear, when we go astray and need restoring, we are not passive in the restoring process. Peter said, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). The words repent and turn back are in the active voice indicating something we must do ourselves. Peter is speaking to those who have never obeyed the gospel, so the action is different, but the requirements of repenting and turning back are the same for Christians who have gone astray. Alien sinners must repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38), while Christians who sin must repent and pray God (Acts 8:22), but the point is, we must do something. We must do what God requires. However, even after we do that, we must still rely on God’s mercy and grace for restoration. The words “may be blotted out” are in the passive voice, referring to something that is done to us. It is our good Shepherd who restores us. We see an analogy of this with real sheep.

“Phillip Keller, in his aforementioned book, explains this by the situation known to shepherds as a “cast (or cast down) sheep.” What happens is this: ‘A heavy, fat or long-fleeced sheep will lie down comfortably in some little hollow or depression in the ground. It may roll on its side slightly to stretch out or relax. Suddenly the center of gravity in the body shifts so that it turns on its back far enough that the feet no longer touch the ground. It may feel a sense of panic and start to paw frantically. Frequently this only makes things worse. It rolls over even further. Now it is quite impossible for it to regain its feet.” In this position gases build up in the body, cutting off circulation to the legs, and often it is only a matter of a few hours before the sheep dies. The only one who can restore the sheep to health is the shepherd’” (James Montgomery Boice).

Take comfort in knowing that when we find ourselves on our backs, frantically trying to get to our feet, the Lord will come and pick us up. David knew about the picking-up power of God. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, even arranging for the murder of her husband Uriah, but when he repented, God picked him up. Peter knew about the picking-up power of God. He denied Jesus thrice, swearing that he didn’t know Him, but when he repented, God picked him up. Paul knew about the picking-up power of God. He persecuted the church, even dragging Christians to prison, but when he repented and obeyed the gospel, God picked him up. God has a history of picking up his people when they fall. No wonder David said, “He restores my soul.” Thankfully, God is still in the business of restoration. No matter how far we fall; no matter what we do, God will restore our souls. But, we must do our part and repent and turn back. Do not ignore sin in your life. Take advantage of the good Shepherd, your Shepherd, and be restored. If you do not need restoring right now, take comfort in knowing that when you do, Jesus will be there to help.

As you wind down for the night, think on these things.