What does Psalm 103:5 mean?
ESV: who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
NIV: who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
NASB: Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
CSB: He satisfies you with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle.
NLT: He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
KJV: Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
NKJV: Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Verse Commentary:
In this verse David credits the Lord with satisfying the believer with good things. Psalm 84:11 promises that the Lord will not withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly. It's important to remember that "good" is something defined according to God's perfect wisdom (Isaiah 55:8), not ours. Everything God has created has a good purpose (1 Timothy 4:4), even if we cannot fully understand all things.
Many unbelievers associate the possession of wealth and material objects with the so-called "good life," but only the Lord and His blessings constitute something truly good. Psalm 16:11 states that in the Lord's presence "there is fullness of joy" and "pleasures forevermore." The book of Ecclesiastes traces Solomon's search for satisfaction in a number of pursuits, including the pursuit of pleasure. Rich and powerful, Solomon found only emptiness until he recognized that the Lord is the only source of satisfaction. He counsels in Ecclesiastes 12:1: "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth."
This verse also credits the Lord with renewing the believer's life with the energy and strength of the eagle. The eagle molts: it casts off its old feathers and grows new ones, thereby gaining a new lease on life. Regardless of the believer's age, he finds the strength and vitality he needs to do the Lord's will.
Verse Context:
Psalm 103:1–5 records David commanding his entire inner being to praise the Lord and to remember all the Lord's benefits. He credits the Lord with forgiveness of sin and healing of diseases. He says the Lord redeems the believer's life from the realm of the dead and bestows on him steadfast love, mercy, satisfaction, and renewal.
Chapter Summary:
Psalm 103 praises God for what He has done. This includes celebration of His personal influence, as well as the way God has blessed the nation of Israel. David encourages praises from himself, from the people in general, and even from the angels and hosts of heaven.
Chapter Context:
Psalm 103 is one of four psalms which complete the fourth division of the book of Psalms (Psalms 90—106). These four psalms ascribe praise to the Lord. Psalm 103 was written by David and expresses his gratitude to the Lord for all His benefits. First Thessalonians 5:18 conveys the same theme of thanksgiving by exhorting believers to ''give thanks in all circumstances.''
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
Accessed 4/29/2024 5:06:58 PM
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