Psalms 23:3
in Psalms 23He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
KJV
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
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This verse in Psalms 23
Commentary
6 notes on this verseMy soul was torn by life and only the restorative presence of God could mend it.
This site's exposition
He restores my soul
Restore is what a shepherd does with a sheep that has wandered off or given out. The paths of righteousness are the right tracks, ground where the flock is safe. The guidance rests on God's own name and reputation.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
He bringeth it back; from its errors and wandering. For - Not for any worth in me, but for the glory of his justice, and faithfulness, and goodness.
on Psalms 23:2-4
God's ordinances are the green pastures in which food is provided for all believers; the word of life is the nourishment of the new man. It is milk for babes, pasture for sheep, never barren, never eaten bare, never parched, but always a green pasture for faith to feed in.
And those only are led by the still waters of comfort that walk in the paths of righteousness. The way of duty is the truly pleasant way. It is the work of righteousness that is peace.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
To restore the soul is to revive or quicken it (Ps 19:7), or relieve it (La 1:11, 19). paths of righteousness--those of safety, as directed by God, and pleasing to Him. for his name's sake--or, regard for His perfections, pledged for His people's welfare.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
He restores my soul My spirit, which has been weakened by troubles and haste, He will restore to its previous status.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
in green pasture In grassy pastures. Since he commences to compare his sustenance to the pasture of an animal by saying, “The Lord is my shepherd,” “green pastures” is appropriate for the expression, “the Lord is my shepherd.” David recited this psalm in the forest of Hereth (I Sam.:5).
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| נַפְשִׁ֥י | nafshi | self my | H5315 → | 754 times |
| יְשׁוֹבֵ֑ב | yeshovev | he restores | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| יַֽנְחֵ֥נִי | yancheni | he guides me | H5148 → | 39 times |
| בְמַעְגְּלֵי־ | vema'gelei- | in tracks of | H4570 → | 16 times |
| צֶ֝֗דֶק | tzedek | righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| לְמַ֣עַן | lemaan | for [the] sake of | H4616 → | 272 times |
| שְׁמֽוֹ׃ | shemo | name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
נַפְשִׁ֥יself my
nafshiH5315 →754 times
יְשׁוֹבֵ֑בhe restores
yeshovevH7725 →1056 times
יַֽנְחֵ֥נִיhe guides me
yancheniH5148 →39 times
בְמַעְגְּלֵי־in tracks of
vema'gelei-H4570 →16 times
צֶ֝֗דֶקrighteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
לְמַ֣עַןfor [the] sake of
lemaanH4616 →272 times
שְׁמֽוֹ׃name his
shemoH8034 →864 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 51:10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 11:19
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
- Ephesians 4:22–24
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
- Ezekiel 11:19
Through
Psalms 19:7The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:130
The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple.
- Psalms 111:7
The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are trustworthy.
- Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to…
- Psalms 119:130
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Dr. Rob Reimer, The Restorative Presence of God (Renewal International blog); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.