Appendix A

Helpful Bible Texts for Seniors

And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.—Genesis 15:15.RY 185.1

Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.—Leviticus 19:32.RY 185.2

And King Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, how do ye advise that I may answer this people?RY 185.3

And they spake unto him, saying, if thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.RY 185.4

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: ...RY 185.5

And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;RY 185.6

And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, my father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions....RY 185.7

So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.—1 Kings 12:6-8, 13, 14, 19.RY 185.8

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.—Job 12:12.RY 185.9

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.—Psalm 23:4.RY 186.1

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.—Psalm 71:9.RY 186.2

Forsake me not, o God, when I am old and gray; that I may tell the rising generation of thy strength and thy might.—Psalm 71:18, Moffatt.RY 186.3

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow....RY 186.4

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.—Psalm 90:10, 12.RY 186.5

They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; to shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.—Psalm 92:14, 15.RY 186.6

Praise the Lord from the earth, ...RY 186.7

Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:RY 186.8

Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.—Psalm 148:7, 12, 13.RY 186.9

Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.—Proverbs 17:6.RY 186.10

The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.—Proverbs 20:29.RY 186.11

It is a wonderful thing to be alive!—Ecclesiastes 11:7, The Living Bible.RY 186.12

If a man live many years, let him have joy throughout them all; let him remember that the dark days will be many—Ecclesiastes 11:8, Moffatt.RY 186.13

Don't let the excitement of being young cause you to forget about your creator. Honor him in your youth before the evil years come—when you'll no longer enjoy living.RY 187.1

It will be too late then to try to remember him, when the sun and light and moon and stars are dim to your old eyes, and there is no silver lining left among your clouds.RY 187.2

For there will come a time when your limbs will tremble with age, and your strong legs will become weak, and your teeth will be too few to do their work, and there will be blindness, too.RY 187.3

Then let your lips be tightly closed while eating, when your teeth are gone! And you will waken at dawn with the first note of the birds; but you yourself will be deaf and tuneless, with quavering voice.RY 187.4

You will be afraid of heights and of falling—a white-haired, withered old man, dragging himself along: without sexual desire, standing at death's door, and nearing his everlasting home as the mourners go along the streets.RY 187.5

Yes, remember your creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps, and the golden bowl is broken, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel is broken at the cistern;RY 187.6

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it....RY 187.7

Here is my final conclusion: fear God and obey his commandments, for this is the entire duty of man.RY 187.8

For God will judge us for everything we do, including every hidden thing, good or bad.—Ecclesiastes 12:1-7, 13, 14, The Living Bible.RY 188.1

In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.—Isaiah 30:15.RY 188.2

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but 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.—Isaiah 40:30, 31.RY 188.3

Even to your old age I will be the same, when you are gray-haired, still I will sustain you; I have borne the burden, I will carry it, yes, I will carry you and save you.—Isaiah 46:4, Moffatt.RY 188.4

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.—Joel 2:28.RY 188.5

When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.—Micah 7:8.RY 188.6

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; there shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.RY 188.7

And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.—Zechariah 8:4, 5.RY 188.8

At evening time it shall be light.—Zechariah 14:7.RY 188.9

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.RY 188.10

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.RY 188.11

And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years....RY 189.1

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.RY 189.2

And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.RY 189.3

But the angel said unto him, fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John....RY 189.4

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,RY 189.5

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people.—Luke 1:5-7, 11-13, 67, 68.RY 189.6

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.RY 189.7

And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.RY 189.8

And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the law.RY 189.9

Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,RY 189.10

Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word:RY 189.11

For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,RY 190.1

Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people;RY 190.2

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.—Luke 2:25-32.RY 190.3

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;RY 190.4

And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.RY 190.5

And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.—Luke 2:36-38.RY 190.6

That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.RY 190.7

The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;RY 190.8

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,RY 190.9

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.—Titus 2:2-5.RY 190.10

Come, then, stiffen your drooping arms and shaking knees, and keep your steps from wavering. Then the disabled limb will not be put out of joint, but regain its former powers.—Hebrews 12:12, 13, New English Bible.RY 190.11