Ps.23:3 – AMPC – He refreshes and restores my soul;
This work of refreshing and restoration by the word of God and the Holy Spirit begins to work on us, in us, and through us as we follow our Shepherd. This work of restoration begins the moment we first call upon the name of the Lord, it continues as we feast on His word daily and drink from the waters of rest.
After we come to Christ we often become aware of the damage that has been done to us through our lifestyle choices and simply because we live in a fallen world populated by fallen individuals. As we feast on the grass of His word and rest in His presence by the rivers of rest, refreshing and restoration happens in our lives. This work of restoration and refreshing is not automatic but it has to be sought. Actually it is in seeking Him in worship, prayer, and the word of God that God’s plan of restoration and refreshing sets in. Here is how Spurgeon describes this passage.
“When the soul grows sorrowful he revives it; when it is sinful he sanctifies it; when it is weak he strengthens it. “He” does it. His ministers could not do it if he did not. His Word would not avail by itself. “He restoreth my soul.” Are any of us low in grace? Do we feel that our spirituality is at its lowest ebb? He who turns the ebb into the flood can soon restore our soul. Pray to him, then, for the blessing—“Restore thou me, thou Shepherd of my soul!”
Spurgeon speaks specifically about what happens in us as we rest in our Shepherd’s care. He revives the sorrowful, filling our hearts with His joy. We may feel disappointed by the daily circumstances that we constantly deal with but all of that changes as He turns disappointment into shouts of victory. He transforms us from our sinful behavior to walk in His ways. The pleasures of this world have lost their attraction and control of our lives as we find our satisfaction in Him. We may sometimes feel inadequate to the challenges in front of us. He comes to us in our weakness and pours His strength into our lives. We find ourselves carried along by Him as we continue to feed on Him and rest in His presence. This is a whole new way to live, living in the care of the Good Shepherd.