He Restores My Soul

As I work through this study of Psalm 23, I am struck by just how “high-maintenance” sheep are. 

I remember when my children were small, we would watch VeggieTales together.  In the episode, “Dave and the Giant Pickle,” which was a re-telling of the story of David and Goliath, Junior Asparagus played the role of the young shepherd boy, David.  One of the challenges he faced was that his sheep were constantly falling over, and “David” would have to lift them up and put them on their feet again.

We all laughed and thought it was funny, but we really didn’t understand the gag.  What I know now that I didn’t know then is that this is a real, and dangerous, problem among sheep.  When a sheep rolls over on its side and can’t get up, it is called being “cast down”.  In this situation, gases build up in the rumen (part of the sheep’s stomach), and the circulation is cut off to the sheep’s limbs.  Death is certain unless the shepherd comes along and gets the sheep upright again.

But how do sheep become cast down in the first place?  W. Phillip Keller, in his book, “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23,” (Zondervan, 1970, Grand Rapids), gives us a couple of ways in which this can happen.

First, the sheep may have found a nice, comfortable, hollowed out spot in the ground to lie down in.  It may be comfortable, but the sheep doesn’t recognize the danger.  When it tries to get up, gravity and leverage are against it, and it may end up rolling over on its side and becoming “cast down.”

The parallel here for the Christian is that sometimes we, too, seek the soft, easy spot.  It’s comfortable.  All is well.  Life is good.  We don’t realize the danger we are in because we are not being trained to deal with adversity.  When adversity comes, and it always comes, we are unable to handle it, and we become cast down. 

Romans 5:3-5 says, “… but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  So, in the grand scheme of things, a little bit of trial is good for us.  It’s like resistance training for our spirits.

Second, the sheep may become cast down because of the weight of its heavy fleece.  As Keller writes, “Often when the fleece becomes very long and heavily matted with mud, manure, burrs, and other debris, it is much easier for a sheep to become cast, literally weighed down with its own wool.” (Keller, 1970)

Again, there is a parallel here for Christians.  We can become weighed down by our own guilt and past failures; unable to break the bonds of sin, bad habits, or addictions.  Satan’s lies can drown out the truth of who we are in Christ.  So, we become cast down, stuck in the mire, until our Shepherd lifts us up.

Suddenly, the following Bible verse makes much more sense, considering it was written by David, the shepherd-king who understood his own tendency to be a sheep in need of a shepherd:  “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?“ (Psalm 42:11, emphasis mine.)

David viewed his soul as being “cast down”.  His soul is fallen over; collapsed; dying; and unable to save itself.  His only hope is in God.  To have one’s soul cast down is a very dire situation, indeed.

Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there, for the sheep, for David, or for us.  As David continues in the remainder of Psalm 42:11, “Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”  We are not left alone, for our Shepherd runs to us when we are cast down, and helps us back to our feet, if we allow Him. 

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1)

So, if you are feeling “cast down” today, remember that you don’t have to go it alone.  There is a Shepherd who is searching for you, and He will find you, lift you up, and restore your soul.

Be blessed,

Pastor Bryan