Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 23
The Good Shepherd
A Davidic psalm.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;(A)
there is nothing I lack.(B)
2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;(C)
He leads me beside quiet waters.(D)
3 He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths[a]
for His name’s sake.(E)
4 Even when I go through the darkest valley,[b]
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;(F)
Your rod and Your staff[c]—they comfort me.(G)
8 He removed the defenses of Judah.
On that day you looked to the weapons in the House of the Forest.(A) 9 You saw that there were many breaches in the walls of the city of David.(B) You collected water from the lower pool.(C) 10 You counted the houses of Jerusalem so that you could tear them down to fortify the wall. 11 You made a reservoir between the walls(D) for the waters of the ancient pool,(E) but you did not look to the One who made it, or consider the One who created it long ago.
12 On that day the Lord God of Hosts
called for weeping,(F) for wailing, for shaven heads,
and for the wearing of sackcloth.
13 But look: joy and gladness,
butchering of cattle, slaughtering of sheep,
eating of meat, and drinking of wine—
“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”(G)
14 The Lord of Hosts has directly revealed to me:(H)
“This sin of yours will never[a] be wiped out.”(I)
The Lord God of Hosts has spoken.
4 Adulteresses![a][b] Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy.(A) 5 Or do you think it’s without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously?[c](B)
6 But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says:
7 Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.(D) 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!(E) 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow.(F) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
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