There are many meaningful lines in this Psalms. The words behind or in front of each semicolon (;), colon (:), or comma (,), tells a unique story. If each line were separated into their own mini Psalms 23, “The Lord is my shepherd,” “I shall not want,” “I will fear no evil,” “For thou art with me,” “My cup runneth over,” we could still understand the essential meaning behind the entire Psalms 23.

Listen to the full audio reading of Psalms 23 here: (coming soon)

One of lines that stand out to me is “He restoreth my soul.” It reminds me of the title of this devotional blog, “God Revives Me.” David makes many declarations in this Psalms and this is one of them. Among all the things that God does, why did David choose to say this?

It’s easy to get distracted or busy with life that we forget what God does consistently. How do we get to a point where we can acknowledge, declare and admit what God does for us? I think it starts by being aware and alert in the present moment. Even in the midst of a troubling day – a lesson plan isn’t going well, something unexpectedly happens at work, school or at home – there’s always hope. Unfortunately, we don’t always look for it. I know I don’t. Sometimes I give up and think it can only go downhill from there.

There’s always hope because after awareness, comes reflection. We experience so much emotions and feelings throughout the day. We may not be able to process those emotions and feelings or know what to do with them in the midst of the situation. But a few minutes, hours or even days, maybe years – in some cases – of reflection can help us come to many conclusions. Whether we reflect at the beginning, middle or end of the day, we are able to gain a better perspective; a glimpse of the big picture.

If we have life, there’s always hope. It starts with awareness, reflection, and then action. We have a chance to take action by making a different choice; we can pivot or improve. It’s a cycle that can help us deal with life’s complexities. It doesn’t mean we will get it right away. We may not even get it right the first or second time. I think it’s a step in a direction that can help us to acknowledge God no matter what’s going on.

From David’s personal awareness and reflection, he reminds us that God restores. God also revives and delivers on his promises.

I find that when I read the word of God out loud, the words take on a more personal meaning. Click here to listen to the full audio reading of Psalms 23 on the God Revives Me Devotional YouTube Page.

If you like what you saw and heard: like, subscribe and share. I encourage you to read this scripture out loud to yourself today.

What message is God sharing with you?