Psalm 103, like Psalm 23 and John 14, seems to be outstanding to all believers because of its
comfort value. Verse 5 is intriguing:"Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth
is renewed like the eagle’s." The renewal of youth is called rejuvenation. Clearly there must be
a parallel between the way an eagle renews its youth in a physical way and a possible method of
renewing our spiritual youth. Such a possibility, to say the least, is thrilling. Physically, the years
keep telling on us. Youth and beauty, vigor and vitality give way slowly to the telltale sags and
wrinkles and that tired feeling. What wouldn’t we give to be able to turn back the clock and
recover the dew of our youth! But spiritual senility is as real and tragic as its physical counterpart;
we grow old spiritually too, and its symptoms exactly parallel those of growing old physically.

Has God provided any antidote to the spiritual aging process? He has. Psalm 103 speaks of our
youth being renewed like the eagle, and it is clearly linked with what we eat. But just how does
the eagle renew its youth? Naturalists tell us that eagles live to great ages. An eagle may be as
much as 100 years old, but each year it molts, sheds its beak and claws, and gets the whole
business new. Now an old eagle with a shining crop of new feathers, a glistening sharp new beak,
and new razor sharp claws would have all the appearance of a young eagle. No one would be able
to tell the difference. This process of youth renewal in the eagle does not take place overnight,
however. It may be several weeks before it gets its new crop of feathers after molting. Now an
eagle without wing feathers would not be able to fly, and minus claws and beak it would not be
able to seize nor tear its prey. The inference is that it would be dependent upon its mate, and also
that both did not molt at exactly the same time. The one would fly, hunt, and then tear and share
the prey with its helpless partner.

Now what are the telltale marks of advancing spiritual senility? Loss of appetite for the Word.
Dullness of spiritual hearing:we can’t hear God speaking to us through His Word or in prayer.
Failing spiritual vision:things we would not have thought of doing when first saved and in those
early years, we find nothing wrong with now. A stooping spiritual carriage:we do not walk
uprightly as we used to. We hold grudges, cherish envy and bitterness, allow covetous practices
to flourish in our lives, and the unbelieving world around us can detect little difference between
the way we live and their own manner of life. We used to weep as we mused on the sufferings of
Christ at the breaking of bread, but not any more. We used to thrill at the thought of going out
with tracts or of speaking to others about salvation of their precious souls, but not any more. We
are getting old, the dew of our spiritual youth has dried up. Instead of the zeal and enthusiasm in
spiritual things that we once had, we are crabby and hard to get along with in the assembly,
critical and sharp tongued and oh, so dry in our own souls.

But how does the eagle’s method of youth renewal compare with ours, spiritually? Well, first of
all, a molting eagle without claws or beak would be out of the running for a while, so to speak.
It would have to retreat to its rocky crag and stay there until the rejuvenation process was
complete. Now would it not be wonderful if God had made provision for us to have an annual
time of disappearing from view for a while for the purpose of spiritual renewal? But is it not still
more wonderful that He has provided for a daily period of youth renewal? What is it? Why, the
quiet hour alone over the Word, of course. Is not youth renewal in Psalm 103:5 definitely linked

with our spiritual nourishment? Does a protracted period of time each day spent in meditation on
the Word of God effect a process of spiritual rejuvenation in us? It most certainly does. We
emerge from that daily retreat with fresh power of spiritual flight, renewed energies to meet the
trials and battles which lie ahead of us that day, and even with keener power to digest and
assimilate our spiritual food_the Word of God.

But there is another passage which also deals with the theme of spiritual renewal. The last verse
of Isaiah 40 tells us that "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount
up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." This
is a well-known and outstanding prayer passage. Yet is it not clear from the very language used
here that there is the thought of the passage of time in prayer? "They that wait upon the Lord."
The thought seems to be the lingering in the divine presence, the absence of hurry. Will such a
time of unhurried waiting upon God in prayer result in the renewal of our spiritual youth? Very
definitely it will! Time set aside each day, preferably the first thing in the morning, for meditation
on the Word of God and prayer is the prescribed divine method of effecting our daily spiritual
rejuvenation. But there is yet another divine provision for the renewal of our spiritual youth. It
is weekly, not daily. It is collective rather than individual. It is when we meet to remember the
Lord in His death for us upon the accursed tree. How often we have come away from that time
of drawing aside from all things of time and sense unto sweet occupation with our crucified Lord,
feeling that our spiritual batteries, as it were, had now been recharged; or to express it in terms
of our topic, our spiritual youth had been renewed. (Ed. note:While the chief purpose of our
meeting together to remember the Lord in His death is not, certainly, to receive spiritual renewal,
such renewal is, as the author suggests, often a valuable byproduct of such a meeting.)

Thus we see that God has graciously made provision for our daily youth renewal through
meditation on the Word and prayer and for our weekly spiritual rejuvenation through the assembly
Bible readings, prayer meetings, and the breaking of bread. It is clear that God earnestly desires
us to maintain our spiritual youth whatever our age may be. How comforting to know that God
has made such ample provision for the unceasing flow of spiritual energy and youth for us all, and
how sad it is if we fail to avail ourselves of the bountiful means He has so graciously provided!
May God grant to each of us the daily youth renewal like the eagles, and that we may mount up
with wings as the eagle’s.