Daily Text and Bible Reading: Sunday, June 22 [Press play below]
Press play below to hear today's Bible Chapters: Psalms 20 through 25
Examining the Scriptures Daily
Sunday, June 22
Blessed is the man who puts his trust in Jehovah. Jeremiah 17.7.
It is a joy to get baptized and become part of Jehovah’s family. Those who are in that privileged position would agree with the psalmist David, who said: “Happy is the one whom you [Jehovah] choose and bring near to reside in your courtyards.”
[Quotation] Psalm 65.4: Happy is the one whom you choose and bring near To reside in your courtyards. We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, Your holy temple. [End Quotation]
Jehovah does not bring just anyone into his courtyards. He chooses those who prove that they want to have a close relationship with him.
[Quotation] James 4.8: Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you indecisive ones. [End Quotation]
When you dedicate yourself to Jehovah and get baptized, you can be sure that thereafter he will “pour out on you a blessing until there is nothing lacking.”
[Quotation] Malachi 3.10: Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house; and test me out, please, in this regard,” Jehovah of armies says, “to see whether I will not open to you the floodgates of the heavens and pour out on you a blessing until there is nothing lacking.” [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Jeremiah 17.8: He will become like a tree planted by the waters, That sends out its roots to the stream. He will not notice when heat comes, But his leaves will always flourish. And in the year of drought he will not be anxious, Nor will he quit producing fruit. [End Quotation]
Baptism is just the beginning. You will want to do your best to live up to your dedication vow, even in the face of temptations or tests of faith.
[Quotation] Ecclesiastes 5.4 and 5: Whenever you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it, for he finds no pleasure in the stupid ones. What you vow, pay. 5 Better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay. [End Quotation]
As a disciple of Jesus, you will follow Jesus’ example and commands as closely as possible.
[Quotation] Matthew 28.19 and 20: Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.” [End Quotation]
[Quotation] 1 Peter 2.21: In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely. [End Quotation]
Watchtower March 2024 page 8 paragraphs 1 through 3
Today's Bible Chapters: Psalms 20 through 25
To the director. A melody of David.
20.1 May Jehovah answer you in the day of distress. May the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
20.2 May he send you help from the holy place And sustain you from Zion.
20.3 May he remember all your gift offerings; May he accept with favor your burnt offering.
(Selah)
20.4 May he grant you the desires of your heart And give success to all your plans.
20.5 We will shout joyfully over your acts of salvation; We will lift our banners in the name of our God. May Jehovah fulfill all your requests.
20.6 Now I do know that Jehovah saves his anointed one. He answers him from his holy heavens With great salvation by his right hand.
20.7 Some rely on chariots and others on horses, But we call on the name of Jehovah our God.
20.8 They have collapsed and fallen, But we have risen up and been restored.
20.9 O Jehovah, save the king! He will answer us in the day we call for help.
To the director. A melody of David.
21.1 O Jehovah, in your strength the king rejoices; How greatly he rejoices in your acts of salvation!
21.2 You have granted him the desire of his heart, And you have not withheld the request of his lips.
(Selah)
21.3 For you meet him with rich blessings; You place a crown of fine gold on his head.
21.4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him, A long life, forever and ever.
21.5 Your acts of salvation bring him great glory. Dignity and splendor you bestow on him.
21.6 You make him blessed forever; You make him glad with the joy of your presence.
21.7 For the king trusts in Jehovah; Because of the loyal love of the Most High, he will never be shaken.
21.8 Your hand will find all your enemies; Your right hand will find those hating you.
21.9 You will make them like a fiery furnace at the appointed time when you give them attention. Jehovah will swallow them up in his anger, and fire will consume them.
21.10 Their descendants you will destroy from the earth, And their offspring from the sons of men.
21.11 For they intended to do what is bad against you; They have devised schemes that will not succeed.
21.12 For you will make them retreat By aiming your bow at them.
21.13 Rise up, O Jehovah, in your strength. We will sing praises to your mightiness.
To the director; set to “The Doe of the Dawn.” A melody of David.
22.1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you far from saving me, Far from my cries of anguish?
22.2 My God, I keep calling by day, and you do not answer; And by night there is no silence on my part.
22.3 But you are holy, Surrounded by the praises of Israel.
22.4 In you our fathers put their trust; They trusted, and you kept rescuing them.
22.5 To you they cried out, and they were saved; They trusted in you, and they were not disappointed.
22.6 But I am a worm and not a man, Scorned by men and despised by the people.
22.7 All those seeing me mock me; They sneer and shake their heads in derision:
22.8 “He entrusted himself to Jehovah. Let Him rescue him! Let Him save him, for he is so dear to Him!”
22.9 You were the One who brought me out of the womb, The One who made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
22.10 I have been entrusted to your care from birth; From my mother’s womb, you have been my God.
22.11 Do not stay far off from me, for trouble is near And I have no other helper.
22.12 Many young bulls surround me; Powerful bulls of Bashan encircle me.
22.13 They open their mouth wide against me, Like a roaring lion that tears its prey to pieces.
22.14 I am poured out like water; All my bones are out of joint. My heart has become like wax; It melts deep within me.
22.15 My strength has dried up like a piece of pottery; My tongue sticks to my gums; You are bringing me down to the dust of death.
22.16 For dogs surround me; They close in on me like a pack of evildoers, Like a lion they are at my hands and feet.
22.17 I can count all my bones. They look on and stare at me.
22.18 They divide my garments among themselves, And they cast lots for my clothing.
22.19 But you, O Jehovah, do not remain far away. You are my strength; hurry to help me.
22.20 Save me from the sword, My precious life from the paws of dogs;
22.21 Save me from the mouth of the lion and the horns of wild bulls; Answer and save me.
22.22 I will declare your name to my brothers; In the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
22.23 You who fear Jehovah, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel.
22.24 For he has not despised nor loathed the suffering of the oppressed one; He has not hidden his face from him. When he cried to him for help, he heard.
22.25 I will praise you in the large congregation; I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
22.26 The meek will eat and be satisfied; Those seeking Jehovah will praise him. May you enjoy life forever.
22.27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Jehovah. All the families of the nations will bow down before you.
22.28 For the kingship belongs to Jehovah; He rules over the nations.
22.29 All the prosperous ones of the earth will eat and will bow down; All those going down to the dust will kneel before him; None of them can preserve their lives.
22.30 Their descendants will serve him; The generation to come will be told about Jehovah.
22.31 They will come and tell of his righteousness. They will tell the people yet to be born what he has done.
A melody of David.
23.1 Jehovah is my Shepherd. I will lack nothing.
23.2 In grassy pastures he makes me lie down; He leads me to well-watered resting-places.
23.3 He refreshes me. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of his name.
23.4 Though I walk in the valley of deep shadow, I fear no harm, For you are with me; Your rod and your staff reassure me.
23.5 You prepare a table for me before my enemies. You refresh my head with oil; My cup is well-filled.
23.6 Surely goodness and loyal love will pursue me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of Jehovah for all my days.
Of David. A melody.
24.1 To Jehovah belong the earth and everything in it, The productive land and those dwelling on it.
24.2 For he has solidly fixed it on the seas And firmly established it on the rivers.
24.3 Who may ascend to the mountain of Jehovah, And who may stand up in his holy place?
24.4 Anyone with innocent hands and a pure heart, Who has not sworn a false oath by My life, Nor taken an oath deceitfully.
24.5 He will receive blessings from Jehovah And righteousness from his God of salvation.
24.6 This is the generation of those seeking him, Of those seeking your face, O God of Jacob.
(Selah)
24.7 Lift up your heads, you gates; Open up, you ancient doorways, That the glorious King may enter!
24.8 Who is this glorious King? Jehovah, strong and mighty, Jehovah, mighty in battle.
24.9 Lift up your heads, you gates; Open up, you ancient doorways, That the glorious King may enter!
24.10 Who is he, this glorious King? Jehovah of armies—he is the glorious King.
(Selah)
Of David.
א [Aleph]
25.1 To you, O Jehovah, I turn.
ב [Beth]
25.2 My God, I trust in you; Do not let me be put to shame. Do not let my enemies gloat over me.
ג [Gimel]
25.3 Surely none who hope in you will be put to shame, But shame awaits those who are treacherous without cause.
ד [Daleth]
25.4 Make me know your ways, O Jehovah; Teach me your paths.
ה [He]
25.5 Cause me to walk in your truth and teach me, For you are my God of salvation. ו [Waw] In you I hope all day long.
ז [Zayin]
25.6 Remember your mercy, O Jehovah, and your loyal love, Which you have always shown.
ח [Heth]
25.7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my transgressions. Remember me according to your loyal love, For the sake of your goodness, O Jehovah.
ט [Teth]
25.8 Good and upright is Jehovah. That is why he instructs sinners in the way to live.
י [Yod]
25.9 He will guide the meek in what is right, And he will teach the meek ones his way.
כ [Kaph]
25.10 All the paths of Jehovah are loyal love and faithfulness For those observing his covenant and his reminders.
ל [Lamed]
25.11 For the sake of your name, O Jehovah, Forgive my error, though it is great.
מ [Mem]
25.12 Who is the man fearing Jehovah? He will instruct him about the way he should choose.
נ [Nun]
25.13 He will experience what is good, And his descendants will take possession of the earth.
ס [Samekh]
25.14 Close friendship with Jehovah belongs to those who fear him, And he makes his covenant known to them.
ע [Ayin]
25.15 My eyes are always toward Jehovah, For he will free my feet from the net.
פ [Pe]
25.16 Turn your face to me and show me favor, For I am alone and helpless.
צ [Tsade]
25.17 The distresses of my heart have multiplied; Free me from my anguish.
ר [Resh]
25.18 See my affliction and my trouble, And pardon all my sins.
25.19 See how numerous my enemies are And how violent their hatred is for me.
ש [Shin]
25.20 Guard my life and save me. Do not let me be put to shame, for I have taken refuge in you.
ת [Taw]
25.21 May integrity and uprightness safeguard me, For my hope is in you.
25.22 O God, rescue Israel out of all his distresses.