Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Lord—Our Shepherd

23 The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. ² He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. ³ He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name. ⁴ Yes, even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of anything, because You are with me. You have a walking stick with which to guide and one with which to help. These comfort me. ⁵ You are making a table of food ready for me in front of those who hate me. You have poured oil on my head. I have everything I need. ⁶ For sure, You will give me goodness and loving-kindness all the days of my life. Then I will live with You in Your house forever.

¹⁵ When Pharaoh heard what had happened, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses ran away from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. He sat down there by a well. ¹⁶ Now the religious leader of Midian had seven daughters. They came to get water, and filled the barrels used to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷ The shepherds came and tried to make them go away. But Moses stood up and helped them. He gave water to their flock. ¹⁸ When they came to their father Reuel, he said, “Why have you returned so soon today?” ¹⁹ They answered, “An Egyptian saved us from the shepherds. He even got the water for us and gave water to the flock.” ²⁰ He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why have you left the man? Ask him to have something to eat with us.” ²¹ Moses was willing to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses. ²² She gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Gershom. For he said, “I have been a stranger in a strange land.”

²³ Now after a long time, the king of Egypt died. The people of Israel were sad in their spirit because of being servants. They cried for help. And because of their hard work their cry went up to God. ²⁴ God heard their crying and remembered His agreement with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ²⁵ God saw the people of Israel and He cared about them.

⁹ But you are a chosen group of people. You are the King’s religious leaders. You are a holy nation. You belong to God. He has done this for you so you can tell others how God has called you out of darkness into His great light. ¹⁰ At one time you were a people of no use. Now you are the people of God. At one time you did not have loving-kindness. Now you have God’s loving-kindness.

¹¹ Dear friends, your real home is not here on earth. You are strangers here. I ask you to keep away from all the sinful desires of the flesh. These things fight to get hold of your soul. ¹² When you are around people who do not know God, be careful how you act. Even if they talk against you as wrong-doers, in the end they will give thanks to God for your good works when Christ comes again.