The Lord Is My Shepherd — Part VI
When David tells us about his Shepherd, he tells us how he takes care of the physical nourishment of his sheep. The Shepherd provides food, rest and water at the “green pastures” and “still waters.” But this next little phrase, this next type of nourishment promised by the Shepherd, is the most important of all, “He restores my soul.” This implies, our shepherd does not just care for our physical needs, he cares for us body and soul.
There are two Hebrew words used here we need to pause and consider:
The first is the word “soul.” This word comes from the Hebrew, “nephesh.” The first place we encounter this word is in Genesis 2:7, when God formed the first man: “God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being (nephesh).” When we often think of the soul, we think of our inner being, and usually in some vague sense. However, the Bible teaches us, the entirety of our whole life is encompassed in the soul. Not only do we learn at creation our soul is what is brought to life, but the Bible also uses this same word when it speaks of our life being extinguished, “If there is harm, then you shall pay life (nephesh) for life (nephesh)” (Exodus 21:23). There are generally two Hebrew words used to describe life in the Old Testament. The most common word is, “Chayim,” however, whenever speaking of: “The giving of life;” “the taking of life,” or “the saving of life,” the word “nephesh” (soul) is always used.
The second word to consider is, “restores” (Hebrew, “shov”). This word implies the idea of, returning, or bringing us back. Specifically, when we connect this word to the restoration of the soul, David is telling us, this Shepherd is the one who returns us back to life itself, back to life in all of its fulness. Maybe some more relevant ways too communicate this to people today is to say, “Our shepherd re-animates us! He re-energizes us! He re-charges us! He re-ignites us!” Simply put, our shepherd brings us back to fullness of life!
As invigorating as this may sound, there is one final consideration we should grasp as we think of this promise in light of the Shepherd’s song. Remember David invites us to view our lives as an arduous journey. Yes, it is a journey filled with both beauty and sublimity, but it is also a journey filled with anguish and treachery. It is because of the nature of the journey, the sheep must constantly rely on their Shepherd for nourishment and strength. And it is the Shepherd alone, who has the ability to bring his sheep to the places and times of refreshment. And no mater how weak, no matter how depleted, this Shepherd promises, if we trust him, he will revive us body and soul over and over again, and bring us safely to the home he has prepared for us.
