“He refreshes my soul” (Psalm 23:3).

Owning a house is not the same thing as having a home.

It’s quite possible to sleep and still get no rest.

Someone can have lots of money and still not be rich.

A home, rest, being rich are things money can’t buy.

Because the LORD is our shepherd, he provides us with everything we need for an abundant life. He gives us the security we need to find rest, and he leads us to quiet waters to refresh us.

The Hebrew word for “refresh” is shub. The “b” is pronounced as a “v” – Shoove. This word literally means to restore, to turn back, to return.

You see, the peace we lack is something that has been stolen from us. God created us in shalom – peace. God provided everything we need for an abundant life, everything for shalom, everything for peace. But sin wrecked all that. Sin stole that peace from us.

What God promises in this beloved psalm is to return, restore God’s shalom, God’s peace, God’s abundant life.

One more thing about the Hebrew: this verb is written in the imperfect tense. What that means is that the action described in the verse is incomplete, it is on-going.

God not only restores, refreshes, returns the peace and the shalom of God, but God continues to do so. You see, we leak peace and shalom. We’re not very good at keeping peace and shalom. So, God continues to restore, continues to return, continues to give us his peace and shalom. It’s there for the taking. But you must choose God’s shalom and peace. You have to make time to encounter God’s presence.

Just as we leak peace and shalom, we are prone to miss God’s peace and shalom. Even though it may be staring us right in the face, unless we are actively looking for God, we will miss God’s peace and shalom.

Take the time to seek God’s presence. God’s peace is there for the taking. But you must choose it.

Sheep are not only defenseless, sheep can also have nasty temperaments.

What do I mean by that? In a book called, “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23”, Phillip Keller describes how when sheep are led to waters to drink, the sheep will not only drink but will get in the water to rile up the dredge and the silt. Soon, the water is no longer good to drink. So, even when the sheep are led to the waters, they must be kept from riling up the waters so that other sheep can drink as well.

The word for “lead” is the Hebrew word nahal. It means, not only to lead or guide, but specifically to lead or guide to a watering place in order to refresh.

There is a refreshing that can only be quenched by the shepherd. We don’t possess it. We can only be led to it. Only the shepherd can lead us to it.

A refreshing that can only come from the Good Shepherd.

The shepherd will lead the sheep to a safe place to drink and be refreshed. And the shepherd will use his staff to keep any sheep from riling up the waters so all his sheep can drink.

There’s a hunger and a thirst for meaning and purpose. There is nothing in the created world that can satiate this hunger and thirst. Only the shepherd can satiate this hunger and thirst.

Follow your shepherd. Trust his leading. Follow him.

Oh, yeah. And don’t mess it up for others. This refreshing is to be shared with all God’s sheep.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures…” (Psalm 23:2).

Have you ever wondered why the LORD who is the good shepherd makes his sheep lie down? That doesn’t sound very loving…making, forcing, coercing sheep to do something.

When God was handing out abilities while creating the animals in the animal kingdom, sheep got the short straw.

• Eagles got the ability to fly and incredible eyesight
• Rabbits received amazing hearing
• Dogs have a keen sense of smell
• Lions and Tigers received fangs
• Bears received massive strength and claws
• Rams received horns
• Deer received amazing agility and speed
• Sheep? They bleat

Sheep are slow. They have terrible hearing, poor eyesight, and a terrible sense of smell. They have neither brute strength, horns, claws, nor fangs. Sheep are as defenseless and hapless as an animal can get.

Sheep bleat.

This makes sheep incredibly nervous animals. They are on edge all the time. They have to be if they are going to make an escape. By the time predators are upon them, it’s almost too late.

Because they are nervous animals, sheep will never lay down unless they feel totally secure. Sheep will die from anxiety than rest. Only when they are secure in the watch of a good shepherd will they lay down.

And even then, there are times when sheep are sheep. In such times, the shepherd makes the sheep lie down because without proper rest, sheep will die.

Friends, the LORD is your shepherd. No matter what you are facing today, you can rest in your shepherd because your shepherd is good, kind, and loving. He is your shield and rampart. He is your protector and guide. Your security isn’t in you. You are incapable of providing peace. Your security and peace is given to you by your shepherd.

So, bleat away. Just rest assured that your shepherd’s got your back.