The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul…” (Psalm 23:1–3, NASB)
By Nell Reece
In Hebrew, this text reads, “In pastures of grass, he makes me to lie down; upon waters of rest, he guides me.” These verses speak of God’s unending love, provision, and guidance in our lives and has brought comfort and hope to many people.
Here, we see a beautiful picture of God’s power to restore us and His desire to lead us to places of peace and tranquility. In the middle of life’s storms and challenges, our Shepherd invites us to rest in His presence.
Maybe you find it hard to rest. Maybe there is a problem you need to solve or an overwhelming challenge you are facing, a giant you need to slay. Your mind will not rest. How am I going to get through this? You battle many fears. You lie awake at night, going over all that has happened, and all that could happen. You need rest, but don’t know how to find it. The scripture says, “He makes me lie down.” Have you ever tried to make your child lie down for a nap? It’s not always easy. They usually complain and have a million reasons why they don’t need to rest. But you, as a parent, know what’s best for your child. You have their best interest at heart. Well, God knows what is best for us. He has our best interest in His heart.
Where do we lay? In green pastures! The word translated “pastures” signifies something like lush, green meadows, kind of what our lawns look after a few days of rain when we haven’t been able to mow! It is like an oasis in the dessert, a place of rest and restoration. It is not only a place for food, but a place of peace and tranquility. A place where we can rest from life’s trials and worries.
Think about this … God wants to restore your soul. Your soul is your mind, your emotions and your will, your intellect. You are a three-part being: you have a spirit — that’s the part of you that lives for eternity, you have a soul – the part of you that relates to the world, and you have your body while you’re here on earth.
Your soul is where the enemy tries to wound you and hold you back. Your soul is where you may have hurts and disappointments. But when God restores your soul, He brings His healing power to those broken places. He makes you whole again. When God restores you, He makes you better off than you were before! When we are resting in Him, He is able to do a work in our lives. He is able to bring that restoration.
In these few verses, we are reminded of the goodness and faithfulness of our God. He provides for us, restores us, and guides us. He is the source of our peace. And in all of this, He invites us to trust Him completely, to surrender our worries and fears, and to walk in His ways.
Don’t let the busyness of life keep you going so fast that you don’t stop and rest. Take time to be still before the Lord, to read and meditate on His Word. Let Him restore and heal your soul. Remember His promise in Psalms 4:8 Amplified Bible “In peace [and with a tranquil heart] I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety and confident trust.”
The GOD’S WORD® Translation says it like this: “I fall asleep in peace the moment I lie down because you alone, O LORD, enable me to live securely.”
Father God, thank You for Your plan to lead me into rest so that You can restore my soul. I trust You to guide me on my path and to help me 
have peace in every situation because I know that You care for me. We leave all our worries and cares in the Hands that were wounded for us. I surrender to You and open my heart to receive Your healing today in Jesus’ mighty Name.” Amen
