Psalms 78:65-72: a reflection

65Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine. 66He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach. 67Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim, 68But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved. 69He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he has established forever. 70He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; 71from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance. 72So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

This psalm recalls how God took David from tending sheep and made him the shepherd of his people, and how David then led them with integrity of heart. He chose David his servant, the psalm says, and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the ewes, he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people; and he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands. God took David from lowly work, tending sheep, and raised him to lead his people; and David led them with an upright heart and skillful care. God raised the humble to serve, and the one he raised led with integrity of heart. This shows that God raises the humble to serve, and true leadership is marked by integrity of heart. God raises the humble to serve his people. True leadership is marked by integrity of heart. God takes people from lowly places and gives them to serve. Lead and serve with an upright heart and faithful care.

Notice both where God took David from and how David then led. God took David from the sheepfolds, from the lowly work of following the ewes; David was not a great or prominent man, but a shepherd of literal sheep. Yet God raised him from this humble work to shepherd his people, to lead Israel. And notice how David led: according to the integrity of his heart, and by the skillfulness of his hands. His leadership was marked, above all, by integrity of heart, an upright and honest heart, and by skillful, faithful care. This holds two truths worth taking in. First, God raises the humble to serve. He is not limited to the great and prominent; he takes people from lowly places and work, and gives them to serve his purposes, as he took David from the sheepfolds. Our humble place or work does not put us beyond God's use; he raises the humble to serve. Second, the mark of true and good leadership, and of faithful service generally, is integrity of heart: an upright, honest heart, from which faithful and skillful care flows. Whatever we are given to lead or serve, we are to do it with integrity of heart. We do well to be willing, as David was, to be raised from lowly places to serve, and to lead and serve with integrity of heart. God raises the humble to serve; your lowly place does not put you beyond his use. True leadership and service are marked by integrity of heart. Lead and serve with an upright heart and faithful, skillful care. Be willing to be raised from a lowly place to serve God's purposes.

That is worth taking to heart, for God raises the humble to serve, and true leadership is marked by integrity of heart, as God took David from the sheepfolds to shepherd his people with an upright heart. We can think ourselves too lowly to be used, or lead and serve without integrity; but God raised David from tending sheep, and David shepherded the people with integrity of heart. Serve with an upright heart. Do not think your humble place puts you beyond God's use; be willing to be raised to serve, and lead and serve with integrity of heart, as David did. Be willing to be raised from a lowly place to serve God's purposes, and to lead and serve with integrity of heart and faithful care, as this psalm recalls how God took David from tending sheep and made him the shepherd of his people, bringing him from following the ewes to shepherd Jacob his people, so that David shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands; for God took David from lowly work and raised him to lead his people, and David led them with an upright heart and skillful care, so that God raised the humble to serve and the one he raised led with integrity of heart, which holds two truths worth taking in, first that God raises the humble to serve, not being limited to the great and prominent but taking people from lowly places and giving them to serve his purposes as he took David from the sheepfolds, so that our humble place or work does not put us beyond God's use, and second that the mark of true and good leadership and of faithful service generally is integrity of heart, an upright and honest heart from which faithful and skillful care flows, so that whatever we are given to lead or serve we are to do it with integrity of heart, and we do well to be willing, as David was, to be raised from lowly places to serve and to lead and serve with integrity of heart.

Lord, this psalm recalls how you took David from tending sheep and made him the shepherd of your people, and how David then led them with integrity of heart. He chose David his servant, the psalm says, and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the ewes, he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people; and he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands. You took David from lowly work, tending sheep, and raised him to lead your people; and David led them with an upright heart and skillful care. You raised the humble to serve, and the one you raised led with integrity of heart. Show me both where you took David from and how David then led. You took David from the sheepfolds, from the lowly work of following the ewes; he was not a great or prominent man, but a shepherd of literal sheep. Yet you raised him from this humble work to shepherd your people. And notice how David led: according to the integrity of his heart, and by the skillfulness of his hands. His leadership was marked, above all, by integrity of heart, and by faithful care. This holds two truths worth taking in. First, you raise the humble to serve. You are not limited to the great and prominent; you take people from lowly places and work, and give them to serve your purposes. My humble place or work does not put me beyond your use. Second, the mark of true service is integrity of heart: an upright, honest heart, from which faithful care flows. Take that to my heart. Keep me from thinking my humble place puts me beyond your use; help me be willing to be raised to serve your purposes, Lord, and to lead and serve whatever you give me with integrity of heart and faithful, skillful care, as David shepherded your people with an upright heart.