During the month of August we are going to be reflecting on a selection of psalms & there is no better place to start than Psalm 23. The 23rd psalm is probably the most well known passage of scripture...
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
I think one of the reasons we like this passage so much is because it helps us connect with God in a personal way. No longer is God a distant being out there somewhere, God is right here with us & he is here to watch over us with love & care just as a shepherd watches over & cares for his sheep. While we may not fully understand the job of a shepherd, what we do know is that a shepherd walks along side of the sheep & he leads them to safe places where they can find food & water. We also know that a shepherd is willing to sacrifice for his sheep & he is even willing to lay down his own life for the sheep when they are in danger. So Psalm 23 lays out a relationship with God & it helps us think about God as one who loves us whether we are going thru good times – you know, walking thru green pastures, or difficult times – those valleys & shadows of death. Psalm 23 reminds us that God is here to love us.
While there is a lot for us to think about in this psalm, today I want us to look at just the first 4 words found in Verse 3 He restores my soul. Think about the word restore for a moment. Restoration is not the same as renovation. Most of us are probably more familiar with renovation because that’s what we do to our homes. When we renovate something, like a kitchen or bathroom, we tear out the old & put in something new, but when we restore something - we are putting it back into its original condition. When a mechanic restores an old car they put it back into its original condition because they know that’s when the car has the most value. It’s the same with us, we have the most value, or we are at our best, when God restores our soul or when we puts us back into our original condition. But what is the original condition of our souls?
If we go back to Genesis we see from the creation story at least 2 things God placed in us from the beginning dignity & dependence.
The word dignity means worthy of honor. Dignity means that we have intrinsic value & worth simply because of who we are. When it says that we were created in the image of God & that God breathed is own breath – his own life giving spirit into us - it means that deep within us, deep within all of us, there is ultimate value. At the very core of every single person is a soul or a life that has dignity & so part of the restoration process is God helping us see that dignity or that value that lies within us. I think God also wants us to see the dignity & value in others & I know God calls the church to see & reach out to the dignity found in all people.
The creation story also makes it clear that we were created to be dependent upon God. In Genesis it says we were created by God – in other words, we did not create ourselves, therefore we are not ultimately in charge of our lives – we are dependent upon God. Psalm 24 says the earth is the Lord’s & all that is in, the world & those who live in it. So we belong to God & we are dependant upon God for all that we have & all that we are. While we may not think about it, it’s true. We depend on God for everything. We depend on God to keep the sun & moon & stars aligned so that conditions are right for us to live, if just one part of creation was altered slightly – we would not be here. We depend on God to send the rain & sun so that plants can grow & life can be sustained. Even with all our scientific ability & advancements, we are not independent from the world around us & the world around us, the earth & all that is in it, is the Lords. So we were not only created with dignity but we were created to be dependent upon God, but sin has destroyed this, sin works to destroy our souls.
Think about what happened when sin entered into the picture. When the serpent tempts Adam & Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge, he is tempting them to no longer be dependant upon God. The serpent is telling them they can ignore God & if they eat from the tree of knowledge they will be like God & if they are like God then they won’t need God. The temptation is to be independent & to be in control of our own lives & when Adam & Eve do this, as soon as they seek to become independent – do you notice what happens - they lose their dignity - look at Genesis 3:7 - Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves
The reason Adam & Eve try to hide is because they are ashamed. No longer do they see value & worth in themselves & each other, they now only see something to be ashamed of & something to hide. So part of the original condition of our souls that sin seeks to destroy & God wants to restore is our dependence upon him & our dignity & this is what we see reflected in Psalm 23. As we read thru this psalm we begin a journey where God helps us understand that we can be & need to be dependent upon him: look at 23:1-3.
What we see here is that sheep are completely dependent upon the shepherd. The sheep depend upon the shepherd to lead them to green pastures & still waters- or safe places where they can be fed & nourished.. The sheep depend upon the shepherd to care for them & provide for all they need. God wants us to depend upon him - it’s how we were created. We don’t’ have to go out & try & do it all on our own, God wants us to turn to him when we are in need. God wants to be the one to lead us into green pastures & still waters. God wants to be the one to guide us into all the fullness of life. God wants us to see that it is his hand that provides for us. Whatever it is we might need today, forgiveness, grace, direction God wants to be the one to provide, the question is whether we will turn to Him & depend upon him or will keep trying to live on our own. Will we allow God to have control of our lives – will we go where he leads us & be who he calls us to be? As Adam & Eve show us, only the road of dependence upon God leads to life.
Not only does God want us to be dependent upon him, but he wants us to know that we are valued by him, he wants to restore our dignity. Look at 23:5-6. God prepares a table for us. God anoints us & fills our cup until it overflows. God’s goodness follows us & God invites us to dwell with him forever. God is blessing us & caring for us & pouring out his grace upon us & it’s all because God loves us. God values us. God sees something of worth in everyone because we were all created in His image.
More than anything I think this is the truth that Jesus tried to teach & show to the world. Jesus not only taught us that God loves us, he showed us God’s love over & over again. When Jesus broke the laws of his day & spoke with outcast women – he showed us that all people have value & worth. When Jesus welcomed children when children weren’t seen as having value – he showed us that there is dignity in every life. When Jesus reached out to heal lepers & forgave sinners he was showing the world that God values every person. Jesus understood & he taught us that there is dignity in the soul of everyone & he worked to restore that dignity & help people see that they were loved by God. We need to see the dignity within us & we need to see the dignity & value in others.
God restores our soul by helping us see that we are loved & valued by Him & that we can depend upon God to care for & provide for us, but Psalm 23 also shows us that the way for us to experience this restoration is thru a relationship with God. The restoration of our souls doesn’t come from knowing about God – it comes from knowing God. Restoration doesn’t come from learning about God – it comes from loving God & leaning upon him.
There is an interesting shift that takes place in Psalm 23 that I never noticed before. At the beginning of the psalm David talks about God. He says the Lord is my shepherd & he leads me. But then in verse 4 David is no longer talking about God –he starts talking to God. Look at 23:4-5. You are with me. Your rod & your staff comfort me, you prepare a table for me, you anoint my head with oil, you overflow my cup. The restoration of our souls goes hand in hand with our relationship with God. Restoration comes when we stop thinking about God & start trusting God, it comes when we stop learning about God & start loving him & allowing him to love us in return. God restores our souls when we are willing to walk with him so let us walk with God today. Whether we are in a deep valley or by some still waters, let us allow God to be the good shepherd & let us allow God to lead us to those places were we can find life.
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