13, 14. Where do Jehovah’s Witnesses place their hope, and what do they do about it?

¹³ Of course, Jesus has not replaced Jehovah as the hope of mankind. Psalm 37:34 still remains applicable: “Hope in Jehovah and keep his way, and he will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the wicked ones are cut off, you will see it.” It is still necessary to keep hoping in Jehovah and to encourage all peoples to leave off from hoping in man-made institutions.

16. Why can it be said that Jesus had the same outlook as David had?

¹⁶ King David was Jehovah’s spiritual shepherd for the tribes of ancient Israel, and he paved the way for Jerusalem to be the nation’s capital, where his son Solomon reigned for 40 years. With good reason, Jesus Christ was spoken of as the “son of David.” (Luke 1:{31} Lu 1:32; 18:39; 20:41) If David hoped in Jehovah God, his earthly descendant Jesus Christ would do similarly. And he did.

17. What evidence is there that Jesus hoped in Jehovah?

¹⁷ As evidence that David’s most famous earthly descendant, Jesus Christ, followed the counsel of Psalm 37:34 when breathing his last on the torture stake, Jesus said: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) He was quoting and fulfilling David’s words at Psalm 31:5, addressed to God: “Into your hand I entrust my spirit.” Jesus’ hope was not disappointed, any more than was that of King David. Christ was resurrected from the dead on the third day. Forty days later he returned to his heavenly Father. At the end of the Gentile Times in 1914, Jehovah exalted his Son to become Ruler of the earth.

A Time for Hope Now

18. Why is today an appropriate time for hope?

¹⁸ Today, as the new year 6013 A.M. (in the Year of the World) carries the human family forward into the future, what hope can be entertained for the human family? That question is now most appropriate because we are nearly 1,900 years into the post-Bible era. It has been a long time since David wrote Psalm 37:34.