Psalm 78:71 kjv
From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
Psalm 78:71 nkjv
From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.
Psalm 78:71 niv
from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.
Psalm 78:71 esv
from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.
Psalm 78:71 nlt
He took David from tending the ewes and lambs
and made him the shepherd of Jacob's descendants ?
God's own people, Israel.
Psalm 78 71 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 16:11-13 | "...Jesse said to Samuel, 'There remains yet the youngest... bringing the sheep.' And Samuel said... 'send and get him... the Lord said, 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.'' ...Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him..." | God's direct selection of David. |
| 1 Sam 17:34-37 | "Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came... I would pursue him and strike him... So your servant would kill both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them..." | Shepherd's protective role prefigures king's. |
| 2 Sam 7:8 | "Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel.'" | God's declaration of taking David from shepherding to rule. |
| 1 Chr 17:7 | "Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel,"'" | Parallel to 2 Sam 7:8, confirming David's calling. |
| Isa 40:11 | "Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the ewes with young." | God as the ultimate gentle shepherd, a model for David. |
| Ezek 34:11-16 | "For thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out... I will bring them to My pasture... and make them lie down,' says the Lord God. 'I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away...'" | God's ideal shepherd; contrast with corrupt human shepherds. |
| John 10:11 | "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." | Jesus as the ultimate Good Shepherd, fulfilling the ideal. |
| John 10:14-15 | "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." | Intimate knowledge and sacrifice of the Good Shepherd. |
| Heb 13:20 | "Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, through the blood of the eternal covenant..." | Jesus as the Great Shepherd of God's flock. |
| 1 Pet 2:25 | "For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." | Jesus as the Shepherd and Overseer of souls. |
| 1 Pet 5:2-4 | "Shepherd the flock of God among you... And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." | Believers called to shepherd, awaiting the Chief Shepherd. |
| Ps 23:1-2 | "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters." | God as Shepherd, providing and guiding. |
| Ps 77:20 | "By the hand of Moses and Aaron, You led Your people like a flock." | God's prior leaders as shepherds of His people. |
| Gen 49:24 | "...from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel." | Prophetic reference to a divine shepherd/ruler from Joseph's line. |
| Isa 49:6 | "I will also make you a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." | God raising one from humble beginnings for a universal purpose. |
| Matt 9:36 | "Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd." | Jesus' compassion for those lacking spiritual leadership. |
| Luke 19:10 | "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." | Shepherd's role of seeking lost sheep. |
| Phil 2:6-8 | "who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant... He humbled Himself..." | God exalts those who humble themselves, paralleling David's humble origin. |
| Amos 7:14-15 | "Then Amos replied... 'I was not a prophet, nor was I the son of a prophet; for I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore fig trees. But the Lord took me from following the flock... 'Go prophesy to My people Israel.''" | God choosing prophets from ordinary lives, similar to David. |
| Exod 3:1-2 | "Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law... The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush..." | Moses called from tending sheep to lead Israel. |
Psalm 78 verses
Psalm 78 71 Meaning
Psalm 78:71 recounts how God chose David, elevating him from his humble calling as a shepherd, specifically caring for vulnerable ewes, to become the leader and protector of Israel, His treasured people and inheritance. It highlights God's sovereign selection and the preparation for leadership that came from a seemingly lowly occupation.
Psalm 78 71 Context
Psalm 78 is a maskil or didactic psalm, serving as a historical retrospect for instruction, recounting Israel's history of disobedience and God's unwavering faithfulness. The psalm traces God's patient dealings with His people, their repeated rebellion and unfaithfulness, His subsequent judgments, and His ultimate restoration through new covenant actions. Verses 67-72 specifically focus on God's rejection of Ephraim (symbolizing the Northern Kingdom's leadership/firstborn status, often associated with the tabernacle at Shiloh) and His decisive choice of Judah, Mount Zion, and ultimately David as His chosen king to shepherd His people. Verse 71 thus concludes this specific historical trajectory, culminating in David's anointing as the ideal ruler. Historically, it refers to David's actual calling from tending sheep in Bethlehem, demonstrating God's sovereign choice not based on worldly power or prestige, but on a prepared heart and ability.
Psalm 78 71 Word Analysis
- And from following / וּמֵאַחַר (u-me'achár): This signifies being behind or after the ewes, emphasizing David's position of vigilant care and patient trailing of his flock. It points to his active role in guiding and protecting, not merely observing. The humility of this position, literally in the dust behind animals, highlights the divine contrast of his elevation.
- the ewes great with young / עָלוֹת (alôt): These are particularly vulnerable sheep – pregnant or nursing ewes, requiring the utmost care, tenderness, and watchfulness. This specific detail highlights David's compassionate and protective nature, not merely his strength. It implicitly signifies that his pastoral duties demanded patience, gentleness, and an understanding of the needs of the weakest in the flock, all qualities essential for shepherding God's people.
- He brought him / הֲבִיאוֹ (haviyo): This verb in Hebrew implies a divine act of initiation and carrying through. It is God's active hand that moves David from his lowly position to his high calling, emphasizing His sovereign power and purpose. David didn't rise to power by his own machinations, but by divine election.
- to shepherd / לִרְעוֹת (lir'ôt): From the root רָעָה (ra'ah), this term for "shepherd" encapsulates a multi-faceted role beyond simply tending sheep. In biblical culture, it means to feed, pasture, guide, guard, protect, lead, and care for. Applied to a king, it implies political, military, and spiritual leadership, providing justice, security, and sustenance.
- Jacob His people / בְּיַעֲקֹב עַמּוֹ (b'Ya'akóv ‘ammô): "Jacob" refers to the patriarch and implicitly to the twelve tribes, encompassing all Israel. "His people" emphasizes their unique covenant relationship with God; they belong to Him. David's role as shepherd is therefore intrinsically linked to his divine commission over God's own treasured possession.
- and Israel His inheritance / וְיִשְׂרָאֵל נַחֲלָתוֹ (v'Yisra'él nachalatô): "Israel" is another name for God's chosen nation. "His inheritance" (נַחֲלָה, nachalah) conveys the idea of something precious, bequeathed, owned, and treasured. It is a portion that belongs exclusively to God. David is entrusted with a sacred stewardship over this inheritance, underlining the weighty responsibility of his kingship.
- From following the ewes great with young He brought him: This phrase vividly portrays David's humble origin and the unexpected source of his divine training. It underscores that God looks at the heart and prepares individuals through unexpected experiences. The very vulnerability of the "ewes great with young" showcases the type of gentle yet firm and protective leadership David would provide.
- to shepherd Jacob His people and Israel His inheritance: This segment directly contrasts David's prior, earthly flock with his new, divine flock. It elevates the concept of "shepherding" to a sacred charge, where the king acts as God's representative to guide and protect a people uniquely precious to the Almighty. It signifies the sacred trust bestowed upon David to care for God's covenant nation.
Psalm 78 71 Bonus section
- The passage highlights a core biblical theme: God often chooses individuals from the least likely places or professions to accomplish His greatest works. This undermines human pride and highlights divine sovereignty and grace.
- The "shepherd" motif is not merely a job description but a spiritual metaphor, pervasive throughout scripture for divine and human leadership (e.g., God Himself as Shepherd, Moses, then David, and ultimately Christ). This particular verse, using the vulnerable ewes, prefigures the gentle and compassionate rule that would characterize both David and, perfectly, the Lord Jesus.
- This verse provides comfort and encouragement for anyone in a seemingly insignificant or humble role, reminding them that God sees and prepares individuals in unexpected ways for His grand design.
- The transition from tending ewes to shepherding nations signifies a principle of graduated responsibility and divine testing of faithfulness in small things before entrusting greater things.
Psalm 78 71 Commentary
Psalm 78:71 encapsulates a profound truth about God's sovereign selection and divine enablement for leadership. By choosing David directly from his pastoral duties, particularly the care of the vulnerable "ewes great with young," God underscored that His choices are not based on human pedigree, power, or status, but on a prepared heart and demonstrated character. David's experience in the fields, confronting predators to protect his flock (as recounted in 1 Samuel 17), served as a practical seminary for his future kingship. His tending to the most vulnerable among the sheep translated directly into his capacity to lead "Jacob His people" and "Israel His inheritance" with wisdom, courage, compassion, and a protective spirit. This verse stands as a testament to God's method of raising leaders: He sees beyond superficial appearances, equips the seemingly lowly, and empowers them to fulfill His grand purposes, revealing the unexpected ways He shapes individuals for His glory and the good of His people. This divine elevation from obscurity to destiny highlights that God Himself brings forth His chosen leaders, demonstrating that true authority flows from His commission and purpose.