Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Praise to the Lord and Warning against Unbelief.
95 Come, let’s (A)sing for joy to the Lord,
Let’s shout joyfully to (B)the rock of our salvation.
2 Let’s (C)come before His presence (D)with a song of thanksgiving,
Let’s shout joyfully to Him (E)in songs with instruments.
3 For the Lord is a (F)great God
And a great King (G)above all gods,
4 In whose hand are the (H)depths of the earth,
The peaks of the mountains are also His.
5 [a]The sea is His, for it was He (I)who made it,
And His hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let’s (J)worship and bow down,
Let’s (K)kneel before the Lord our (L)Maker.
7 For He is our God,
And (M)we are the people of His [b](N)pasture and the sheep of His hand.
(O)Today, [c]if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as at [d](P)Meribah,
As on the day of [e](Q)Massah in the wilderness,
9 “When your fathers (R)put Me to the test,
They tested Me, though they had seen My work.
10 For (S)forty years I was disgusted with that generation,
And said they are a people who err in their heart,
And they do not know My ways.
11 Therefore I (T)swore in My anger,
They certainly shall not enter My (U)rest.”
Samuel Goes to Bethlehem
16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “(A)How long are you going to mourn for [a]Saul, since (B)I have rejected him from being king over Israel? (C)Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to (D)Jesse the Bethlehemite, because I have (E)chosen a king for Myself among his sons.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” But the Lord said, “(F)Take a heifer [b]with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 And you shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and (G)I will let you know what you shall do; and (H)you shall anoint for Me the one whom I [c]designate to you.” 4 So Samuel did what the Lord told him, and he came to (I)Bethlehem. Then the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “(J)Do you come in peace?” 5 And he said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. (K)Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they entered, he looked at (L)Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is standing before Him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for [d]God does not see as man sees, since man looks at [e]the outward appearance, (M)but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called (N)Abinadab and had him pass before Samuel. But he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” 9 Next Jesse had [f](O)Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” 10 So Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the boys?” And he said, “(P)The youngest is still left, but behold, he is tending the sheep.” So Samuel said to Jesse, “Send word and bring him; for we will not take our places at the table until he comes here.”
David Anointed
12 So he sent word and brought him in. Now he was [g]reddish, with (Q)beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “(R)Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and (S)anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and (T)the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
Serve God Willingly
5 (A)Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your (B)fellow elder and a (C)witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a [a](D)fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed: 2 shepherd (E)the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, (F)not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and (G)not [b]with greed but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as (H)domineering over [c]those assigned to your care, but by [d]proving to be [e](I)examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief (J)Shepherd appears, you will receive the (K)unfading [f](L)crown of glory. 5 (M)You [g]younger men, likewise, (N)be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with (O)humility toward one another, because (P)God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.
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