He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.

The shepherd knows that running water presents a hazard for sheep. They are not sure-footed, and if they wander into running water, they’ll spend their time and energy trying to stay upright rather than drinking. If they should wade out too far into the rushing water, their thick wool will quickly soak up the water and be pulled under. Sheep need to drink from still water.

When we rest in the Lord our Shepherd, he leads us into environments we can handle. He provides still water for our spiritual restoration. It’s so easy to become spiritually drained with life’s challenges, and we need to be recharged so that we can function again the way God intended. But you will not discover the blessing of rest and “still waters” if you remain self-sufficient—if you think you can care for yourself.

God sometimes allows us to be in situations that rob us of our self-sufficiency so that we will learn to rest in him. He wants us to realize that if he doesn’t restore our soul, it won’t get restored. When he brings us to the end of ourselves, all we can do is look to him. When we let go, we will discover, just as David wrote, that God will restore our soul. The process can sometimes take time, but the result is for our good and his glory.