from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.From following the ewes that have their young he brought him, To be the shepherd of Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
3 sermons cite this verse
… God will take care of them. He brought David out of the sheepfolds from following the youths great with young. He brought him to feed Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance. Get this. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and he guided them with skillful hands. Yes. Psalm 78 ends with those beautiful verses. Wow. Took him from the sheep. and he felt oil running down his neck, and he thought, what's this? You know, average guy would run down to Nordstrom and start buying crowns because they're going to be king. Yeah. Nope, David went right back with his sheep. That's right. Next time we see him, he's fighting a giant. not to be seen, but because this uncircumcised Philistine has no right to talk about God's people like he's been doing. And he took that sling and he slung that rock, hit it right between the running lights, knocked it right down, took that head and walked up to Saul and said, well, here it is. …
… 78. The Lord chose David, his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds, from following the nursing ewes, he brought him to shepherd Jacob, his people, Israel, his inheritance. With upright heart, he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. And whoever, whatever mysterious person chooses these texts, this is really a beautiful text to have chosen. It might not be the first text that came to your mind. But it's particularly interesting because this is one of Asaph's Psalms. And there are about 10 Psalms just at this point in the Psalter, as though they'd collected all of Wesley's hymns, or Isaac Watts' hymns, or the Getty's hymns, and put them together in a little Asaph section. And since I think all of us know, especially the 73rd Psalm, in which Asaph reveals to us something of his melancholic spirit, he reminds me, because he was the music director in David's congregation, that when you're looking for a music director, director, you need to find somebody who knows what the minor key is in the Christian life and has a touch of melancholy about him, who knows what it is to lament as well as to rejoice, and who also has a sense of the whole history of the church, because this is what this psalm is about. He traces the history of the church from earlier generations right through to his own generation in the time of David. And he describes them in a very interesting way, both at the beginning of the psalm and then at the end of the psalm. You'll notice in verse 5, and then later on …
One of the chief qualifications of a true pastor, and one that is not very common, is a great deal ofpatience. Perhaps you say, "These people are so sinful, and erring, and foolish." Yes, they are like sheep! And if they were not so, they would not need you or any other shepherd! Your calling would be abolished if all Christ's people were strong and able to instruct others. Be very patient with them, as a nurse is with the child committed to her to watch, and love, and teach. What an honor this office puts upon you! To belong to the College of Fishermen with Peter, James and John is a great honor. But the work of the pastor is still nobler. Well did they speak of old of shepherd-kings, for the shepherd's business is such as is worthy of a king! Indeed, amid his flock he is the truest of kings. What a line of shepherds can be traced right through the Word of God! Your business is one which the first martyr followed, for Abel was a keeper of sheep. Stand like he in the midst of your flock, ready to sacrifice life, itself, at God's altar! You are following the business of Jacob, who said to Laban, "In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes." Yours is the calling of Joseph, who even when exalted to a throne, was still "the shepherd and stone of Israel." Whatever your position may be, Brothers, be shepherds! You are following the trade of that noblest of woman born, I mean Moses, who kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, in the desert and there beheld the bush on fire out of which God spoke with him. He who led the people like a flock all through the wilderness was ready like a true shepherd to lay down his life for the flock, even asking to have his name blotted out of God's Book if by that means they might live! You are following the occupation of the men after God's own heart! If a man in these days is after God's heart, let him be a shepherd of the flock. "He chose David, also, His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: from following the ewes great with young He brought him to feed Jacob, His people, and Israel His inheritance." …