And he chose his servant David, and took him from the hocks of sheep: he brought him from following the ewes great with young,

He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheep-folds:

And He fixeth on David His servant, And taketh him from the folds of a flock,

He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks;

And he chose David his servant. After having made mention of the temple, the prophet now proceeds to speak of the kingdom; for these two things were the chief signs of God's choice of his ancient people, and of his favor towards them; and Christ also hath appeared as our king and priest to bring a full and perfect salvation to us. He proves that David was made king by God, who elevated him from the sheepfold, and from the keeping of cattle, to the royal throne. It serves in no small degree to magnify the grace of God, that a peasant was taken from his mean shepherd's cot, and exalted to the dignity of a king. Nor is this grace limited to the person of David. We are taught that whatever worth there was in the children of Abraham, flowed from the fountain of God's mercy. The whole glory and felicity of the people consisted in the kingdom and priesthood; and both these are attributed to the pure grace and good pleasure of God. And it was requisite that the commencement of the kingdom of Christ should be lowly and contemptible, that it might correspond with its type, and that God might clearly show that he did not make use of external aids in order to accomplish our salvation.

He chose David also his servant - He chose him that he might set him over his people as their king. The idea is, that David was selected when he had no natural pretensions to the office, as he did not pertain to a royal family, and could have no claim to such a distinction. The account of this choice is contained in 1 Sam. 15:1-30.
And took him from the sheep-folds - From the humble occupation of a shepherd. 1-Samuel 16:11; 2-Samuel 7:8.

He chose David - See the account 1-Samuel 16:11 (note), etc.

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, an eminent type of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is called by his name, Psalm 89:3 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, Psalm 89:19, 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 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,
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, and Amos was taken from following the flock to be a prophet of the Lord, Amos 7:13, 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.

God's sovereignty was illustrated in this choice. The contrast is striking--humility and exaltation--and the correspondence is beautiful.