Youth

⁹ Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.

¹⁰ So banish sorrow from your heart, and cast off pain from your body, for youth and vigor are fleeting.

¹ Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”

² before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,

³ on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,

Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his father David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images.

⁶ “Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”

⁷ But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak.

Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.

In the same way, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.

And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.

And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with man.

And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. Now in those days the word of the LORD was rare and visions were scarce.

But Saul replied, “You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.

After I returned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’

⁷ I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,

⁸ crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,

Even a young man is known by his actions— whether his conduct is pure and upright.

The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

O God, You have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim Your marvelous deeds.

I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

¹¹ And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

¹² So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.

So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared: “I am young in years, while you are old; that is why I was timid and afraid to tell you what I know.

And David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent—famous and glorious throughout all lands. Therefore I must make preparations for it.” So David made lavish preparations before his death.

Then King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great because this palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.

When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.

All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.

³ Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—

⁴ young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

⁵ The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.

⁶ Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

So he said to Jether, his firstborn, “Get up and kill them.” But the young man did not draw his sword; he was fearful because he was still a youth.