Psalms 78:70
He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
David's anointing (c. 1025 BC) while still a shepherd boy shocked everyone—he wasn't even summoned initially (1 Samuel 16:1-13). God saw David's heart while others assessed outward appearance. David's rise from shepherd to king parallels Joseph's rise from prisoner to prime minister—God exalts the humble.
Questions for Reflection
- How does David's selection from the sheepfolds encourage believers who feel insignificant or overlooked?
- What does God consistently choosing unlikely candidates (shepherds, fishermen, tax collectors) reveal about His values versus human values?
- In what ways did David's shepherding experience prepare him for kingship, and how does God use your current circumstances to prepare you?
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Analysis & Commentary
He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds. The psalm's climax: God's choice of David. Chose (vayyivchar, וַיִּבְחַר) repeats the election language from v. 68—God chose Judah, Zion, and now David. His servant (avdo, עַבְדּוֹ) is David's supreme title, indicating covenant relationship. Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5) and prophets bore this title, but David uniquely as king-servant foreshadows Jesus, the Servant-King (Isaiah 42:1, Matthew 12:18).
Took him from the sheepfolds (lakach mimikhl'ot tson, לָקַח מִמִּכְלְאֹת צֹאן) emphasizes God's sovereign initiative and David's humble origin. Shepherding was lowly work; David was youngest, forgotten when Samuel came seeking Israel's king (1 Samuel 16:11). God bypasses the prominent to choose the overlooked, demonstrating that election depends on divine grace, not human qualification.
The sheepfold imagery also connects David's vocation—he shepherded literal sheep (1 Samuel 17:34-35), preparing him to shepherd God's flock Israel (v. 71). Jesus, David's greater son, is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11).