“He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3 New King James Version)
“That’s where he restores and revives my life. He opens before me the right path and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honor to his name.” (Psalm 23:3 The Passion Translation)
“He renews my strength. he guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. (Psalm 23:3 New Living Translation)
“He refreshes and restores my soul (life); he leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23;3 Amplified Bible)
“He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3 Holman Christian Standard Bible)
“He brings back my soul, and leads me in the paths of truth because of your Name.” (Aramaic Bible in Plain English)
Here in verse 3 we find basic truths for this life which are mirrored throughout scripture.
1) Renewal – this concept is found from cover to cover in the Bible. It is found in passages that talk about a process in which life is “renewed,” “strengthened,” ‘restored,” “rejuvinated,” “trasnsformed,” “quickened,” etc. This process of “renewal” is associated with both the soul (mind) and the body. It is the desire and design (will) of our Shepherd to bring the fullness of His life (Zoe) into every aspect of my existance. He has “saved” (recreated) my spirit. He is “saving” (renewing) my soul (mind). he is also “saving” (quickening/enlivening) my body.
2) Righteousness – There are two sides to the righteousness described in scripture. There is ‘external” righteousness which has to do primarily with my behavior; and there is “internal” righteousness that deals with my identity. “Acts of righteousness” are “what I do.” “Being righteous” has to do with “who I am.” Prior to the finished work of redemption (sinless life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ) the emphasis was on external righteousness. The Old Covenant Servants of Yahweh were living in blindness to their true identity and in this blindness had to rely on help from “outside” and “above.” In their darkened minds they had accepted the enemies lies about who they were and therefore had separated themselves from their Father (Shepherd). They were living like sheep without a shepherd in desperate need of help in finding the “path of righteousness.” Now that the work of redemption has been completed the blinders have been removed and I no longer need to live as a sheep without a shepherd stumbling in the dark. I am a new Covenant son of God who has been given the righteousness of God. I live from my identity (from the inside out) as one in union with the Creator of everything. I do not rely on “acts of righteousness” to make me “righteous.” I am “righteous” therefore I act that way. The best news is that even when I act unrighteous I am still righteous in my identity. I no longer look outside of myself for the “paths of righteousness.” Those paths are within me. I no longer look up for help, that help is within me.
The challenge today is to meditate on ‘renewal” and “righteousness.” I am going to allow the Holy Spirit to take me deeper into my true identity as I ponder…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 206: Life With the Shepherd (Psalm 23): Part 4 – Verse 3