Psalms 23:3 (ASV)

Passage

He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name`s sake.

Nearby Context

Psalms 23:1 Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalms 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters.

Psalms 23:3 He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name`s sake.

Psalms 23:4 Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "restoreth", "soul", "guideth", "paths", "righteousness", "name", and "sake". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "restoreth" and "soul", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "He maketh me to lie down in..." into verse 4's "Yea thou I walk through the valley...", so "restoreth" and "soul" belong inside that flow. In The LORD as Shepherd, the local focus is trust, covenant mercy, guidance, and worship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "restoreth" and "soul" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.