Psalm 23:2-3 (Part 2 of 4)
I. He Looks After Our Weaknesses
First, in verses 2-3, the LORD, My Shepherd, looks after our weaknesses. Sheep are not strong. We would do well to pay attention to all the personal pronouns David uses as we read this Psalm 23. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.” This statement shows that He cares for our weaknesses.
The Psalmist says in Psalm 103:14, "For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust." So when you feel weak, you might question, "How could God love me or care for me?" Just remember, He knows your frame, and He knows what you're not good at and what you're weak at.
The Shepherd gives us three blessings when we are weak:
#1 He Gives Rest
First, He gives us rest. "He makes me lie down in green pastures and He leads me beside the still waters." Both of these pictures represent a haven of rest, and it is the Good Shepherd who knows the rest I need, which is why "He maketh me." I like that He knows what I need better than what I know that I need.
Sometimes life may feel like God has taken everything away from you. But He does it out of love. Sometimes, He lovingly pulls us out to make us lie down. He has to make us do things sometimes. Maybe you need to rest, so you're going to the hospital for a few days. Perhaps you should take a break because you just lost your job. Don't be quick to complain and tell God, "I don't like that!" Sometimes, God wants you to take a break. So the Lord will do things in our lives that will help us rest.
The sheep need to be calm, have water, and have full stomachs. They need to lie down and rest. They also need to feel safe and full. The same goes for us. You can buy sleep at a drugstore, but you can't buy rest. Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). Have you ever been worn out? At times, life has made me tired and heavy. You go to bed tired, and you wake up tired. Just remember, the only one who can truly give you rest is Jesus Christ.
God tells us in His word, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:21). They resemble a turbulent sea.
If you haven't found rest and peace for your soul yet, you can find it in Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. You need to go to Him and put your faith in Him as your Lord and Savior. He will save your soul.
#2 He Restores Us
He also heals our weaknesses, as seen in verse 3. "He restores my soul." In Hebrew, "restores my soul" means "brings back to health."
Hebrew scholars think the phrase might mean forgiveness and restoration, or that God forgives us and restores us. It could also mean that we need to repent, be forgiven, and be restored. He brings us back when we fall and stumble.
They say that if a sheep eats too much and then lies down, its balance will change and it won't be able to get back up. When the sheep can't get up, they get what is called "cast." David said, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance." (Psalm 42:5). He compared us to cast sheep when we stray from His path, get lost, and need to be brought back and restored.
Jesus talked about the Good Shepherd in Luke 15. He is the one who left the 99 sheep and goes to look for the one that is lost. Before Christ, you and I are the one lost sheep. We are all in the Bible . . . we are all lost people. The Bible says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." (Isaiah 53:6).
But aren't you glad that Jesus is the "Good Shepherd"? He loves you and me with a perfect love, and He hears our pleas.
Jesus leaves the 99 to look for the 1 (see Matthew 18:12,13). But if I were the shepherd in this story and there were 99 left, I would say, "Forget about the one black sheep. That crazy sheep shouldn't have gone off in the first place! Goodbye!" You should be glad I'm not your shepherd.
But not Jesus. He puts them in the pen and then goes after the one that got away until He finds it. Then He puts it on His shoulders and brings it back with joy.
How many times have we gone off the path God set for us? Have we become a "cast" and cannot fix ourselves? We shout, "Baaa! . . . Baa! Please help me, Lord!" Jesus hears the bleating of His sheep and comes to help us. He picks us up, takes us back, and heals our soul. What a blessing it is to have Christ as our Good Shepherd all our lives!
#3 He Provides Righteous Paths
The third blessing He gives us is to show us the right way to go. So He gives us rest, healing, and right paths, verse 3. "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Sheep don't know where they're going and get lost. That's why we call them "lost sheep." But the shepherd leads, guides, restores, and brings us back into the fold.
"Paths of righteousness" means that there are both right and wrong paths. The way God leads is always right and good. He does all of this "for His name's sake," which means "for His glory."
As I walk with the Good Shepherd, I am more and more sure that everything God does is for His own glory. No one will ever get to share God's glory. God deserves all the praise, glory, and honor. He looked for me, bought me, and saved me with His own blood. He gives me peace, healing, and right paths. He forgives me, heals me, and guides me, all for His glory. Praise His holy name!
First, in verses 2-3, the LORD, My Shepherd, looks after our weaknesses. Sheep are not strong. We would do well to pay attention to all the personal pronouns David uses as we read this Psalm 23. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.” This statement shows that He cares for our weaknesses.
The Psalmist says in Psalm 103:14, "For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust." So when you feel weak, you might question, "How could God love me or care for me?" Just remember, He knows your frame, and He knows what you're not good at and what you're weak at.
The Shepherd gives us three blessings when we are weak:
#1 He Gives Rest
First, He gives us rest. "He makes me lie down in green pastures and He leads me beside the still waters." Both of these pictures represent a haven of rest, and it is the Good Shepherd who knows the rest I need, which is why "He maketh me." I like that He knows what I need better than what I know that I need.
Sometimes life may feel like God has taken everything away from you. But He does it out of love. Sometimes, He lovingly pulls us out to make us lie down. He has to make us do things sometimes. Maybe you need to rest, so you're going to the hospital for a few days. Perhaps you should take a break because you just lost your job. Don't be quick to complain and tell God, "I don't like that!" Sometimes, God wants you to take a break. So the Lord will do things in our lives that will help us rest.
The sheep need to be calm, have water, and have full stomachs. They need to lie down and rest. They also need to feel safe and full. The same goes for us. You can buy sleep at a drugstore, but you can't buy rest. Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). Have you ever been worn out? At times, life has made me tired and heavy. You go to bed tired, and you wake up tired. Just remember, the only one who can truly give you rest is Jesus Christ.
God tells us in His word, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:21). They resemble a turbulent sea.
If you haven't found rest and peace for your soul yet, you can find it in Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. You need to go to Him and put your faith in Him as your Lord and Savior. He will save your soul.
#2 He Restores Us
He also heals our weaknesses, as seen in verse 3. "He restores my soul." In Hebrew, "restores my soul" means "brings back to health."
Hebrew scholars think the phrase might mean forgiveness and restoration, or that God forgives us and restores us. It could also mean that we need to repent, be forgiven, and be restored. He brings us back when we fall and stumble.
They say that if a sheep eats too much and then lies down, its balance will change and it won't be able to get back up. When the sheep can't get up, they get what is called "cast." David said, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance." (Psalm 42:5). He compared us to cast sheep when we stray from His path, get lost, and need to be brought back and restored.
Jesus talked about the Good Shepherd in Luke 15. He is the one who left the 99 sheep and goes to look for the one that is lost. Before Christ, you and I are the one lost sheep. We are all in the Bible . . . we are all lost people. The Bible says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." (Isaiah 53:6).
But aren't you glad that Jesus is the "Good Shepherd"? He loves you and me with a perfect love, and He hears our pleas.
Jesus leaves the 99 to look for the 1 (see Matthew 18:12,13). But if I were the shepherd in this story and there were 99 left, I would say, "Forget about the one black sheep. That crazy sheep shouldn't have gone off in the first place! Goodbye!" You should be glad I'm not your shepherd.
But not Jesus. He puts them in the pen and then goes after the one that got away until He finds it. Then He puts it on His shoulders and brings it back with joy.
How many times have we gone off the path God set for us? Have we become a "cast" and cannot fix ourselves? We shout, "Baaa! . . . Baa! Please help me, Lord!" Jesus hears the bleating of His sheep and comes to help us. He picks us up, takes us back, and heals our soul. What a blessing it is to have Christ as our Good Shepherd all our lives!
#3 He Provides Righteous Paths
The third blessing He gives us is to show us the right way to go. So He gives us rest, healing, and right paths, verse 3. "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Sheep don't know where they're going and get lost. That's why we call them "lost sheep." But the shepherd leads, guides, restores, and brings us back into the fold.
"Paths of righteousness" means that there are both right and wrong paths. The way God leads is always right and good. He does all of this "for His name's sake," which means "for His glory."
As I walk with the Good Shepherd, I am more and more sure that everything God does is for His own glory. No one will ever get to share God's glory. God deserves all the praise, glory, and honor. He looked for me, bought me, and saved me with His own blood. He gives me peace, healing, and right paths. He forgives me, heals me, and guides me, all for His glory. Praise His holy name!