He Restores My Soul
- Lauren
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me besides still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.” - Psalm 23:1-4
The Good Shepherd knows His sheep. He knows what they need, and the sheep know His voice. The shepherd and his flock are beautifully in harmony. And the Good Shepherd, “lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). He will leave the ninety-nine to rescue the one: and that one is you.
Ever since I was young, the 23rd Psalm has spoken deeply to me. In particular, the verse, “He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me besides still waters; he restores my soul” speaks directly to my anxious heart. I love the imagery of this verse (which is beautifully depicted in the illustration above). The Lord invites me to rest in a lush green pasture. He wants me to walk beside the still waters He offers me. He wants me, the one sheep of the ninety-nine, who has a tendency to stray away, to rest in His presence.
The Lord, the Good Shepherd, offers all who seek Him, rest and solitude in the lush green pastures of His heart.
And, “even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me”. Another translation of this verse is, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4, RSV-2CE). In other words, though I near the end of my days, I will not be afraid, for You are near.
When my twin brother approached his final hours, I read the 23rd Psalm to him. It is a verse that is near to me in multiple ways. It calms my anxious heart, and it reminds me of those final days as I sat near my brother, as he took his final breath. The Lord called one of His sheep home, and Kyle has found eternal rest in a lush, mountainous pasture.
Today, I invite you to meditate on the 23rd Psalm, alongside the beautiful illustration above. Where in your life is the Lord inviting you to stop and take a rest? Do you feel as if you are walking through a dark valley? If so, be assured that the Good Shepherd knows what you need. Listen for His voice. He is waiting to rescue you.
In Christ,
Lauren
Many thanks to Alicia Strauss for allowing me to use her illustration! I saw her illustration on social media recently, and it inspired me to center this week's devotion on the 23rd Psalm. You can find her work on Instagram: @liela_draws
Scripture inspiration for this post: Psalm 23, Matthew 18:12, John 10.
All scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, unless otherwise noted.
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