Psalms 77–80 use shepherding metaphors to depict God as Israel’s shepherd or as the one who establishes Israel’s shepherd. God shepherds his people from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the promised land (77:20; 78:52–55). He then chooses David, a literal shepherd, to shepherd his people (78:70–72). As shepherd, God guides his people during their exile in Babylon and (if the psalmist’s prayers are answered) out of Babylon (79:13). In 80:1, Asaph appeals to God in his role as shepherd for that deliverance.

Asaph weaves t…