Recent posts in this series on the three salvations (of spirit, soul, and body) show how the Holy Spirit uses the term “water” to describe the Word of God and how Jesus, as the Word, applies this “water” to us in order to “cleanse our feet.”  This cleansing of our feet deals with our walk in this world.  It directly relates to the salvation of our souls.  Remember that our soul consists of our mind, will, and emotions.  This salvation differs from the salvation of our spirit. 

The salvation of our spirit is a once for all time event which Jesus accomplished for all men by his willing sacrifice on the cross.  Spiritual salvation comes to us by our faith in Jesus as Savior.  This means that the effects of this universal salvation only begin to be seen in our lives once we believe.  This belief, this faith, is what the Bible terms being “born again” or “begotten of God.”  Once we have been begotten of God we can see the Kingdom of God.  But, we cannot enter that kingdom until a further salvation occurs, the salvation of the soul.  Soul salvation comes by being “born of water,” by allowing Jesus to cleanse our feet with His water of the Word.  This corresponds to Noah’s baptism we see in Peter’s first book.

One of mankind’s favorite psalms describes this process.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, provides for all of our needs.  If we could only believe, we would want for nothing.

        [2] He makes me lie down in green pastures. 

Jesus provides our rest and our food.  Our food is good, here represented by “green pastures” filled with verdant grass for his sheep to eat.

He leads me beside still waters. 

This phrase can be translated as “He leads me beside waters of rest.”  We are now about to begin looking at Hebrews 3 and 4 which deal directly with entering God’s rest and the salvation of the soul.  This verse proclaims that the water of the Word brings us rest.

[3] He restores my soul.

Here we see the application of the waters of the rest to our souls.  The waters bring restoration.  Just as literal, natural water restores every fiber of our bodies, so does the water of the Word restore our souls.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

This shows us the purpose of restoration, the purpose of the washing of the water of the Word.  Once we understand God’s ways (by being washed with his Word), then we will walk his paths of righteousness.

for his name’s sake. 

Have you ever considered how and when a Christian might take the name of the LORD in vain?  Only we take his name upon ourselves by calling ourselves Christians, and then commit all manner of wickedness, perversion, and sin by failing to walk upon his paths of righteousness.

[4] Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;

We journey in the wilderness here on earth.   We constantly walk in the shadow of death, sickness, and dying.  Even so, by faith in our Shepherd, we will fear no evil, for he walks here with us as he walked here before us.

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

How many of us despise the discipline of the LORD and become vexed and irritated at his rebuke?  We have not yet learned that his rod (of iron), his Law, instructs us in his ways, and that his shepherd’s staff pulls our stiff necks back into his ways, his paths.

[5] You prepare a table before me
        in the presence of my enemies;

Here in the wilderness we live in the presence of our enemies, the children of Satan who do not yet believe the LORD.   We eat here.  God’s table is the table of communion where we eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus.  This metaphor speaks spiritually of bread and wine, which again, speak spritually of truth and the Holy Spirit.   Remember what Hebrews says,

Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.  [10] We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.   Hebrews 13:9-10 (ESV) 

you anoint my head with oil;
        my cup overflows. 

Jesus anoints us with the Holy Spirit.  “Be filled with the Spirit!”

[6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
        all the days of my life,
    and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
         forever.   Psalm 23:1-6 (ESV) 

This shows the promise for those who work out their salvation in fear in trembling.  Let us walk together beside the waters of rest and eat together at the table Jesus has prepared for us!