Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK II (Psalms 42-72)
To the Director: An instruction[a] of the Sons of Korah.
Hope in God When Times of Trouble Come
42 As an antelope pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When may I come and appear in God’s presence?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
while people[b] keep asking me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I will recall as I pour out my troubles[c] within me:
I used to go with the crowd in a procession to the house of God,
accompanied with shouts of joy and thanksgiving.
5 Why are you in despair, my soul?
Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for once again I will praise him,
since his presence saves me.
6 My God, my soul feels depressed[d] within me;
therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,
from the heights of Hermon,
even from the foothills.[e]
7 Deep waters call out to what is deeper still;[f]
at the roar of your waterfalls
all your breakers and your waves swirled over me.
8 By day the Lord will command his gracious love,
and by night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I will ask God, my Rock, “Why have you forsaken me?
Why do I go around mourning under the enemy’s oppression?”
10 Like the shattering of my bones are the taunts of my oppressors,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why are you in despair, my soul?
Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
for once again I will praise him,
since his presence saves me
and he is my God.
Jethro Advises Moses to Appoint Judges
13 The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge,[a] with all the people standing around you from morning until evening?”
15 Moses told his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.[b] 16 When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a person and his neighbor, and make known the statutes of God and his instructions.”
17 Moses’ father-in-law told him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You will certainly wear yourself out, both you and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it by yourself. 19 Now listen to me. I’ll advise you, and may God be with you. You are to represent the people before God and bring the disputes to God. 20 You are to teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they’re to go and the things they’re to do. 21 You are to look for capable men among the people, men who fear God, men of integrity who hate dishonest gain. You are to set these men over them as officials over thousands, hundreds,[c] fifties,[d] and tens.[e] 22 They are to judge the people at all times. Let them bring every major matter to you, but let them judge every minor matter. It will lighten your burden, and they’ll bear it with you. 23 If you do this,[f] and God so commands you, you will be able to stand the strain,[g] and all these people will also go to their homes in peace.”
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officials over thousands, hundreds,[h] fifties,[i] and tens.[j] 26 They judged the people at all times; the difficult matters they brought to Moses, but every minor matter they judged. 27 Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and he went to his own land.
15 Some are preaching the Messiah[a] because of jealousy and dissension, while others do so[b] because of their good will. 16 The latter are motivated[c] by love, because they know that I have been appointed to defend the gospel. 17 The former proclaim the Messiah[d] because they are selfishly ambitious and insincere, thinking that they will stir up trouble for me during my imprisonment.
18 But so what? Just this—that in every way, whether by false or true motives, the Messiah[e] is being proclaimed. Because of this, I rejoice and will continue to rejoice. 19 I know that this will result in my deliverance through your prayers and the help that comes from the Spirit of Jesus the Messiah.[f] 20 I rejoice because I eagerly expect and hope that I will have nothing to be ashamed of, because through my[g] boldness the Messiah[h] will be exalted through me,[i] now as always, whether I live or die.[j]
21 For to me, to go on living is the Messiah,[k] and to die is gain.
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