Soul Restored

“He restoreth my soul…” Psalm 23:3

What does it mean to have one’s soul restored? The Hebrew word is a common one in the Old Testament, and has the idea of returning, turning back, refreshing, or repairing. It is sometimes translated “again” or “return.” So what is our soul supposed to be returned to?

Psalm 116 is a joyful expression of gratitude to God for His mercy and deliverance. Our word appears as return in verse 7:

“Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.”(v.7-8)

Our soul can rest, restored to peace and joy by God’s deliverance from death, sorrow, and sin. Titus 3:3-7 puts it this way:

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Our souls are restored when we are renewed at salvation by the Holy Spirit. Sin forgiven, relationship with God restored to how it was always intended to be: as the song says, “Nothing between my soul and the Savior.” If you have never chosen to turn from your sin and accept Christ’s gift of salvation, that is what this idea of a restored soul means for you. Salvation is a free gift, but it must be accepted to be yours.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, He is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

A restored soul—a soul made right with God—affects every area of life.

If, like me, you have already accepted Christ’s gift of salvation, can this verse still hold application for you, or is all the “restoring” finished? Well, since David would not have written this psalm if he was not in a close relationship with God, I think it’s safe to assume that there is restoration still to look for as Christians. There are actually many passages that refer to restoration or renewal in the Christian life. 1 Peter 2:21-25 even relates it to the idea of God our Shepherd:

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: Who in His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

If we are restored to relationship with Christ, we are to follow His example, with hearts and lives renewed—reset, as it were, by the Holy Spirit to how we were always intended to be. This means making the choice to yield to the Spirit’s leading instead of our own inclination to sin:

“This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)

Though salvation is a one-time renewal, the renewal of our hearts and minds to be more like Christ is a daily necessity.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

“For the which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

Just like we need daily feeding from the Word of God, and daily times of rest beside the “still waters” of God’s presence, we need the daily restoration of the Holy Spirit. What do I mean by that? Simply that we need to come to God in humility and dependance, as bedraggled sheep that need the burrs and mud we picked up in the world removed from our coats. We need the thorns of bitterness and anger plucked from our weary hooves, and the swarming flies driven away.

We need to be refreshed, our minds renewed, our souls bathed in the truth God’s Word and soothed by the presence of our Good Shepherd, until one day we enter heaven and see Him face to face, burrs, mud, sins and sorrows all gone.

Here on earth, we experience the daily need for renewal, but one day, we shall be made new, once and for all, and rejoice in perfect fellowship with our Shepherd for all eternity!

“And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” Revelation 21:5-6