God calls unlikely individuals to accomplish His plans.
He also chose David His servant And took him from the sheepfolds (v.70). The psalmist’s depiction here points to God’s intentional choice of David from a humble and lowly position, emphasizing how God often raises unlikely individuals to places of leadership. David, before his anointing, was a shepherd tending flocks, which gave him experience in caring for defenseless animals and protecting them from predators. His comprehensive training in shepherding prefigured how he would later shepherd God’s people, Israel. The contrast between quietly attending sheep and then ruling as a king illustrates that God’s calling can completely transform a person’s life trajectory.
David as a historical figure lived circa 1040-970 BC and served as the second king of Israel (1 Samuel 16-31). He became a unifying force in the kingdom, establishing Jerusalem as the capital. The mention of being taken from “the sheepfolds” points back to his birthplace in Bethlehem, a town located about five miles south of Jerusalem. It is significant because Bethlehem is an unassuming place in Judean territory, yet it produced one of the most prominent leaders in the Old Testament. This detail builds on the overarching biblical pattern where God’s sovereignty chooses and elevates people who appear insignificant to human eyes.
Psalms 78:70 highlights believers’ capacity to trust in God’s selection—even when one’s background seems ordinary. In the wider biblical narrative, the raising up of David serves as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, who also came from humble beginnings (Luke 2:4-7) yet was destined to be the ultimate Shepherd for God’s people (John 10:11). By dwelling on David’s humble origins, this verse underscores that God’s calling is about His glory and ultimate purpose, rather than human qualifications or societal status.
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Psalms 78:70 meaning
He also chose David His servant And took him from the sheepfolds (v.70). The psalmist’s depiction here points to God’s intentional choice of David from a humble and lowly position, emphasizing how God often raises unlikely individuals to places of leadership. David, before his anointing, was a shepherd tending flocks, which gave him experience in caring for defenseless animals and protecting them from predators. His comprehensive training in shepherding prefigured how he would later shepherd God’s people, Israel. The contrast between quietly attending sheep and then ruling as a king illustrates that God’s calling can completely transform a person’s life trajectory.
David as a historical figure lived circa 1040-970 BC and served as the second king of Israel (1 Samuel 16-31). He became a unifying force in the kingdom, establishing Jerusalem as the capital. The mention of being taken from “the sheepfolds” points back to his birthplace in Bethlehem, a town located about five miles south of Jerusalem. It is significant because Bethlehem is an unassuming place in Judean territory, yet it produced one of the most prominent leaders in the Old Testament. This detail builds on the overarching biblical pattern where God’s sovereignty chooses and elevates people who appear insignificant to human eyes.
Psalms 78:70 highlights believers’ capacity to trust in God’s selection—even when one’s background seems ordinary. In the wider biblical narrative, the raising up of David serves as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, who also came from humble beginnings (Luke 2:4-7) yet was destined to be the ultimate Shepherd for God’s people (John 10:11). By dwelling on David’s humble origins, this verse underscores that God’s calling is about His glory and ultimate purpose, rather than human qualifications or societal status.