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Welcome back! As I write this, I’m struggling with a lingering cough (especially at night) that’s outstayed its welcome by more than a week. I feel weak and tired and sorely in need of a Good Shepherd to give me rest. Lord, hear my cry!

Last Week’s Work

CROSS-REFERENCES

He restores my soul. The cross-references focused my attention to see this restoration is fully attributed to the Shepherd. It’s not the sheep’s action (following the Shepherd/LORD) that brings the soul benefit; the restoration comes from and depends completely on the LORD. In Psalm 19:7, David attributes the soul’s revival to the [LORD’s] law, and this law is characterized in Psalm 119:174 as a delight.

From Job, I observed a reference that … God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, [why does God do that? so] that he [man] may be lighted with the light of life (Job 33:29-30).

References from the prophets Jeremiah, Hosea, and Micah focused on God’s intention to restore the relationship between Himself and mankind (see Jeremiah 32:30-42; Hosea 14:4-9; and Micah 7:8-9, 18-19), which comes full circle when Jesus became the Lamb who, once for all, died to restore the souls of all believers to a right relationship with God (see John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7).

He leads me in righteous paths… This language is echoed in other Psalms David also authored. In Psalm 5:8, Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness… make your way straight before me; and Answer me quickly, O LORD! … Make me know the way I should go … Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:7-8, 10)! The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah also spoke to this leadership visual: And I [the LORD] will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known. I will guide them. I will turn the … rough places into level ground… (Isaiah 42:16). And … I [the LORD] will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble… (Jeremiah 31:9). Again, the LORD leads, and the final clause of my study verse answers why.

It’s… for his name’s sake, which again emphasizes the role of the divine Shepherd (not the sheep). David used the same phrase multiple times in his Psalms: For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great (Psalm 25:11); For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me (Psalm 31:3);But you, O GOD my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me (Psalm 109:21); and For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble (Psalm 143:11)! Clearly, the LORD’s name is something special! Just now, the Spirit put the third commandment on my heart—You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain (Exodus 20:7). And Jesus’s statement, whatever you ask in my name, I will do (John 14:13). Whew, God is already showing me the awesome power of His name in Scripture, and I’ve only just started studying it!

OTHER TRANSLATIONS

This time, I compared four other translations of Psalm 23:3 to the English Standard Version. The New Living Translation (NLT) and Good News Translation (GNT) provided interesting perspective. Both versions differed from the ESV, Amplified (AMP), and New American Standard Bible (NASB20) in the first clause by rendering the action as renewing or giving new strength (not refreshing or restoring the soul); and in the second clause by substituting guides for leads.

As far as the third clause, I think the NLT and GNT provide more perspective: in the NLT, the renewal and guidance [bring] honor to his [the LORD’s] name. Finally, in contrast to all the other translations, the GNT renders the last clause, as he has promised. On reflection, I think this means God does what He says He will do, which every line of His Word reminds me of, over and over again.

COMMENTARY

I didn’t spend a lot of time in the commentaries for this passage. I’m content with focusing on the personal, relational aspects of David’s described connection between himself and his divine shepherd. Though I am no King David, I feel like my personal relationship with YHWH Ra’ah has also been one of restoration, divine guidance (though this ewe isn’t always the best follower!), and revelation that continually shows me how God keeps His promises, even to someone who absolutely does not deserve it!

Dig-In Challenges

This coming week, let’s wrap up our study of Psalm 23 and align with what we’ve discovered here:

1. PRAY: Use mine from week 2, or your own.
2. ALIGN: Review your study notes (or what I’ve posted since week 2) and consider what you’ve learned in this study.
3. ALIGN: Then, think about how the Spirit has convicted you through this study. In other words, where has He shown you misalignment between what we’ve discovered and how you practice your faith?
4. ALIGN: Next, look to God’s Word for guidance to correct that misalignment. For me, this is often a verse from the study text or from one of the cross-references.
5. ALIGN: And finally, reflect on how you can change thoughts or actions to align more closely with what you’ve discovered here.
   To make this stick, I commit to change something and do my best to act on that commitment every day for at least three weeks.

I know the Lord will bless our efforts to understand and apply His Word!