Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Lord the Shepherd
A psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I ·have everything I need [L will lack nothing].
2 He ·lets me rest [makes me lie down] in green pastures.
He leads me to ·calm [quiet] water.
3 He ·gives me new strength [T renews my soul].
He leads me on paths that are ·right [righteous; or straight]
for the ·good [sake] of his ·name [reputation].
4 Even if I walk through ·a very dark valley [or the shadow of death],
I will ·not be afraid [T fear no evil],
because you are with me.
Your rod and your shepherd’s staff comfort me.
5 You prepare a ·meal [L table] for me
in ·front [the presence] of my enemies.
You ·pour oil of blessing on my head [anoint my head with oil; C oil was a means of refreshment in a hot, dry environment];
you ·fill my cup to overflowing [L make my cup overflow; C a cup of blessing].
6 Surely your goodness and ·love [loyalty; T mercy] will ·be with [pursue; T follow] me
all my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord ·forever [L for length of days].
10 Then the Lord spoke his word to Samuel: 11 “I ·am sorry [regret] I made Saul king, because he has ·stopped [turned away from] following me and has not ·obeyed [carried out] my commands.” Samuel was ·upset [distressed; angry; deeply moved], and he cried out to the Lord all night long.
12 Early the next morning Samuel got up and went to ·meet [find] Saul. But the people told Samuel, “Saul has gone to Carmel, where he has put up a monument ·in his own honor [to himself]. Now he has gone down to Gilgal.”
13 When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you! I have ·obeyed [carried out; upheld] the Lord’s commands.”
14 But Samuel said, “Then why do I hear ·cattle mooing [oxen lowing] and sheep bleating?”
15 Saul answered, “The ·soldiers [people] took them from the Amalekites. They saved the best sheep and cattle to offer as sacrifices to the Lord your God, but we ·destroyed [devoted to destruction; 15:3] all the other animals.”
16 Samuel said to Saul, “·Stop [Enough]! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”
Saul answered, “·Tell me [Speak].”
17 Samuel said, “·Once [Although] you ·didn’t think much of yourself [L are/were little/small in your own eyes], but now you have become the ·leader [head] of the tribes of Israel. The Lord ·appointed [anointed] you to be king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission. He said, ‘Go and ·destroy [devote to destruction; 15:3] those ·evil people [L sinners], the Amalekites. Make war on them until all of them are ·dead [wiped out; exterminated; consumed].’ 19 Why didn’t you obey the [L the voice of the] Lord? Why did you ·take the best things [L rush for/pounce on the plunder/spoils]? Why did you do what ·the Lord said was wrong [L was evil in the Lord’s sight/eyes]?”
20 Saul said [L to Samuel], “But I did obey [L the voice of] the Lord. I ·did what the Lord told [went on the mission the Lord gave] me to do. I ·destroyed [devoted to destruction; 15:3] all the Amalekites, and I brought back Agag their king. 21 The ·soldiers [people] took [L from the plunder/spoil] the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”
25 So you must stop telling lies. ·Tell each other the truth [L Let each one of you speak truthfully to his neighbor; Zech. 8:16], because we ·all belong to each other in the same body [L are members of one another]. 26 ·When you are angry, [or Be angry, and] do not sin [Ps. 4:4; C there is a time for righteous anger, but it must not result in sin], and ·be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day [L don’t let the sun set on your anger]. 27 Do not give the devil a ·way to defeat you [foothold; opportunity]. 28 Those who are stealing must stop stealing and start working. They should ·earn an honest living for themselves [do something good/useful with their hands]. Then they will have something to share with those who ·are poor [L have need].
29 Don’t ·say anything that will hurt others [L let any rotten/unhealthy word come from your mouth], but only say what is ·helpful [good] to ·make others stronger [build others up] ·and meet [L according to] their needs. Then what you say will ·do good [give grace; be a gift] to those who listen to you. 30 And do not ·make the Holy Spirit sad [grieve/bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit]. ·The Spirit is God’s proof that you belong to him and he will make you free when the final day comes […by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption]. 31 Do not be bitter or angry or ·mad [raging]. Never shout angrily or ·say things to hurt [slander; insult] others. ·Never do anything [Get rid of all kinds of] evil. 32 Be kind and ·loving [compassionate; tenderhearted] to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.
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