Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Song of Praise

100 Call out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. ² Be glad as you serve the Lord. Come before Him with songs of joy. ³ Know that the Lord is God. It is He Who made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His field.

⁴ Go into His gates giving thanks and into His holy place with praise. Give thanks to Him. Honor His name. ⁵ For the Lord is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever. And He is faithful to all people and to all their children-to-come.

¹⁷ “As for you, My flock, the Lord God says, ‘I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats. ¹⁸ Is it not enough for you to eat in the good field? Must you crush under foot the rest of your fields? Is it not enough for you to drink of the clear waters? Must your feet fill the rest with mud? ¹⁹ Must My flock eat what you have crushed with your feet, and drink what you have made dirty with your feet?’”

²⁰ So the Lord God says to them, “I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the weak sheep. ²¹ Because you push with your side and shoulder and run against all the weak with your horns until you have driven them away, ²² I will save My flock. They will no longer be hurt. And I will judge between one sheep and another. ²³ Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.

5 I want to speak to the church leaders among you. I am a church leader also. I saw Christ suffer and die on a cross. I will also share His shining-greatness when He comes again. ² Be good shepherds of the flock God has put in your care. Do not care for the flock as if you were made to. Do not care for the flock for money, but do it because you want to. ³ Do not be bosses over the people you lead. Live as you would like to have them live. ⁴ When the Head Shepherd comes again, you will get the crown of shining-greatness that will not come to an end.

⁵ In the same way, you younger men must obey the church leaders. Be gentle as you care for each other. God works against those who have pride. He gives His loving-favor to those who do not try to honor themselves.