David 9

I want to dance before the Lord

2 Samuel 6

As I was writing the series on the fruits of the Spirit, chapter 6 of 2 Samuel came to mind. This chapter then prompted me to start the David series.

David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. But here, too, we see that positive motivation is often not enough. Because David had to experience how one of his people, Uzza, after touching the Ark of the Covenant (to prevent it from falling from the chariot) was punished by God with death. The death of this man so terrified David that he decided to place the ark in the house of Obed-Edom, a Gittite. He was at a loss and wondered how he could bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. David, already king by then, returned to Jerusalem. The Bible tells us that the ark stayed in the house of Obed-Edom for 3 months. But David was told that God blessed Obed-Edom and all his house. When he heard this, he set out again to take the ark to Jerusalem. But what had changed in these 3 months? How could David be sure that his renewed endeavor would not fail again?

He had repented, for God had given clear instructions as to how the Ark of the Covenant was to be transported. The directive said that the ark was to be carried by men on poles and not to be touched. However, on his first attempt, David had the ark loaded onto a cart for transport. God still allowed this circumstance. However, when Uzzah touched God's wrath at disobedience and Uzzah died.

This time, however, David was prepared and did everything as God commanded. Because the longing for even deeper fellowship with God burned in David. The Ark of the Covenant was the greatest sanctuary at that time and symbolized the place where the Spirit of God dwelt. And David wanted to have this in his immediate vicinity. When the Ark of the Covenant was transported in the prescribed manner, David was overjoyed and danced, clad only in an ephod, a linen ephod. He, the king of Israel, had taken off his royal robes and clothed himself like the servants and maidservants. No crown, no bracelet, no gold and jewelry. Not even a shield, sword, or breastplate. And he danced so exuberantly and full of joy about getting even closer to God than before that he also infected his companions with it. Because David had this deep longing for the nearness of God. When his wife Michal, daughter of Saul (for her David had paid the bride price of 100 foreskins from dead Philistines) saw this, she thought disparagingly of her husband and told David so.

But David said to her, "I will dance before the Lord, who chose me before your father and before all his house, to make me prince over the Lord's people over Israel, and I will become even less than now and want to be low in my eyes; but with the maids of whom you spoke, I will be honored"

David's answer gives us an opportunity to learn about his heart. Even as king he had not forgotten what God had done for him and remained humble as king. He said "I will dance before the Lord..." because he lived before and with God and was free from heeding what was thought or said of him. Because David had a close relationship with God and was joyful inwardly and had an incredible joy in the Lord.

Let's be more like David and seek closeness to God and experience that unspeakable joy rising within us.

Please read the story about David from 1 Samuel 16 in the Bible yourself and draw your own conclusions.