Psalms 78:70

70 And he chose David his servant, and took him up from the flocks of sheep; (And he chose David to be his servant, and took him away from the flocks of sheep;)

Psalms 78:70 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 78:70

He chose David also his servant
To be king of Israel, the youngest of his father's family, when he rejected all the rest; see ( 1 Samuel 16:6 1 Samuel 16:11 ) , an eminent type of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is called by his name, ( Psalms 89:3 Psalms 89:19 ) ( Ezekiel 34:23 ) ( 37:24 ) ( Hosea 3:5 ) and the signification of his name "Beloved" agrees with him, who is beloved of God, as his Son, and as man and Mediator; and beloved of men, of all the saints: and so likewise his character as a servant suits with him; who not only frequently has the name of a servant, ( Psalms 89:19 Psalms 89:20 ) ( Isaiah 42:1 ) ( Zechariah 3:8 ) , but appeared in the form of one, ( Philippians 2:7 ) , had the work of a servant to do, which he has accomplished, even the great work of our salvation, ( John 17:4 ) , in doing which, and all things leading on and appertaining to it, he took the utmost delight and pleasure, and used the greatest diligence and assiduity, ( John 4:34 ) ( 9:4 ) and justly acquired the character of a faithful and righteous servant, ( Isaiah 53:11 ) , and to this work and office he was chosen and called by his Father, ( Isaiah 42:1 ) ( 49:3 ) ,

and took him from the sheepfolds;
from whence he was fetched when Samuel was sent by the Lord to anoint him, ( 1 Samuel 16:11 ) , so Moses, while he was feeding his father's sheep, was called to be the saviour and deliverer of Israel, ( Exodus 3:1-10 ) , and Amos was taken from following the flock to be a prophet of the Lord, ( Amos 7:13 Amos 7:14 ) , and as David was a type of Christ, this may express the mean condition of our Lord, in his state of humiliation, previous to his exaltation, and the more open exercise of his kingly office.

Psalms 78:70 In-Context

68 But he chose the lineage of Judah; he chose the hill of Zion, which he loved. (But he chose the tribe of Judah; and he chose Mount Zion, which he loved.)

69 And he as an unicorn builded his holy place; in the land, which he founded into worlds. (And he built his holy place like his home in heaven/And he built his holy place as high as the heavens; and he founded it like the earth, to last forever.)

70 And he chose David his servant, and took him up from the flocks of sheep; (And he chose David to be his servant, and took him away from the flocks of sheep;)

71 he took him from behind sheep with lambs. To feed Jacob his servant; and Israel his heritage. (yea, he brought him out from following behind the sheep with their lambs, to feed his people Jacob; yea, his inheritance Israel.)

72 And he fed them in the innocence of his heart; and he led them forth in the understandings of his hands. (And David fed them from the innocence of his heart; and he led them forth by the skillfulness of his hands.)