Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Moses Flees to Midian
15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he dwelled by a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
18 When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “Why is it you have come back so soon today?”
19 And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and also drew water for us and watered the flock.”
20 He said to his daughters, “So where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him so that he may eat bread.”
21 Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Zipporah, his daughter, to Moses. 22 Then she gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”
23 In the passing of time the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out, and their cry came up to God on account of the bondage. 24 God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God looked on the children of Israel, and God had concern for them.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may declare the goodness of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 In times past, you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Live as Servants of God
11 Dearly beloved, I implore you as aliens and refugees, abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Live your lives honorably among the Gentiles, so that though they speak against you as evildoers, they shall see your good works and thereby glorify God in the day of visitation.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.