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David the Serious Delirious Worshipper

2 Samuel 6:1-23

In our studies through 1^st and 2^nd Samuel we have seen David the shepherd, David the boy wonder, David the servant of the king, David the warrior, David the fugitive, David the servant of God, and now David the king of Israel. Though we have read some of his Psalms, and have seen him sing for Saul, we have not seen David the worshipper. In chapter 6 we get to see David in his element, coming before his king and Lord. It is instructive for us both in terms of how he does it (good and bad) and his attitude towards worship.

 

1 ? 2

 

Notice how this is worded. Israel treated the Ark as a thing to be worshipped in 1 Samuel 3, when Hophne and Phinehas took it into battle. It is not the Ark that is holy but God?s presence that is holy.

 

David?s first action as king is to secure a place from which to rule for the Lord. I wonder if God wasn?t prompting him to do this. Back in Deuteronomy 12 God said 5 But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation.?

 

He conquers Jerusalem, then goes down to Kiriath Jearim to the house of Abinadab to bring the Ark up to Jerusalem. The Ark has been there since coming up the Philistia 50 years before. Saul had no interest in the Ark because he had no interest in God so there it sat.

 

The last time we even heard of the Ark of the Covenant, except for a brief mention in 1 Samuel 14:18, was back in 1 Samuel 7. David is making it clear that his reign as king is to be under the Lord and His covenant. In fact, the way the Ark is referenced it is identified as His property, not the property of the people of Israel.

 

Is that a distinction we sometimes miss? Do we think that God belongs to us and is there to hear and answer our prayers? We are in fact, His property, owned by Him and serve for His pleasure and His desires, not ours. (1 Corinthians 7:23 ?You were bought with a price?).

 

David?s attempt to bring up the Ark the first time, though, follows what the Philistines did, rather than what God commanded to the Levites.

 

3 ? 4

 

Uzzah and Ahio are either sons or perhaps grandsons of Abinidab. Like the Philistines in 1 Samuel 6, they put the Ark on a new cart. Instead of milk cows, though, David uses oxen to pull the cart and two guys to monitor its progress. As it turns out, this is a big mistake.

 

5

 

It?s a happy occasion and David, his 30,000 men, and representatives of all the tribes are rejoicing with David at a return to Yahweh. I notice that in the ESV they use castanets (also in NASV). Could there have been some flamingo going on too? They are also called sistrums (NKJV, NIV) and cornets (KJV). The word comes from a rattling sound. Whatever they were, the singing and dancing is about to stop cold.

 

6 ? 9

 

Uzzah reaches out to save God. It doesn?t work that way, of course. The Ark wasn?t supposed to be on a cart but carried between the shoulders of Koathite Levites (Numbers 4:15). Uzzah was not one of these.

 

Just as God put to death some of the men of Beth Shemesh for looking into the Ark (1 Samuel 6:19), so he kill Uzzah. Now I don?t think that God was sending Uzzah to hell or anything, but he paid with his life for this act.

 

David firstly reacts with anger at Uzzah, and then fear begins to take over for anger as he realizes just who he is dealing with. God is holy and we cannot manage him, he manages us.

 

No matter how happy we act, we must approach God on his terms. Perez-uzzah means ?bursting forth on Uzzah?.

 

10 ? 11

 

David decides he?d better wait until he can figure out the right way to do this. He takes the Ark to Obed-Edom, possibly a Koathite Levite (1 Chronicles 6:66, 69, also 1 Chronicles 26:8).

 

12 ? 15

 

Three months later the coast is clear. David realizes that his error is not so serious that God will not allow the Ark to be brought to its new home. But how it happens is important. No doubt David went back to the Law and realized his mistake. So this time he has the Levites carrying the Ark and every six steps they sacrifice an ox. Apparently Obed-edom?s house was not far from Jerusalem so this wouldn?t have taken an inordinate amount of time.

 

There are some distinct differences between the first and second approaches with the Ark. One to take note of in addition to the method of carrying the Ark is the attitude of the worshippers.

 

In verse 5 it says Israel was ?making merry? (Hebrew 7832) whereas in verse 13 they come ?with rejoicing? (Hebrew 8057). Making merry can also mean to ?laugh, play, or act with derision.? ?Rejoicing? means ?exceeding gladness and pleasure.? They come from different root words. ?Rejoicing? comes from a root ?to brighten?.

 

I wonder if Israel was ?playing? at their worship at first, not really taking it seriously. After Uzzah?s death, and a recommitment to following the Law, now Israel isn?t sad and mopey, but they brighten and have great gladness and pleasure from knowing they are following the Lord in the way He prescribes.

 

It begs the question, how seriously delirious are you in worship? Do you come into God?s presence on a whim? Do you realize the awesome privilege you have in just being able to worship the Lord? We come to Him in the prescribed manner, though the blood of Jesus Christ. Outside of that there is only death.

 

We don?t make up our own way to God but that doesn?t mean we stop rejoicing.

 

David?s attitude was right, and it freed him to dance before the Lord, wearing the linen ephod of a priest. In some cases Israel?s kings did act as priests (David does when he offers sacrifices on an altar at the end of 2 Samuel).

 

David dances (?to whirl?) ?with all his might?.

Might: boldness, loud, might, power, strength, strong

All: The whole

 

David lets it all go to God. He leaves nothing on the table. It is not an ecstatic, out of control kind of worship, but a focused, powerful sort of worship. David is being an example for his people and an example of the Messiah, who is king and priest, who left nothing back when giving to His Father.

 

But not everyone is pleased.

 

16 ? 23

 

Michal is acting like a ?daughter of Saul? (16) looking to the outward appearance rather than the inward attitude of the heart. With David the heart burst forth to the body and action. With Saul and his clan it was always the outside controlling the inside?look good outside and be good inside.

 

Michal had loved David (1 Samuel 18:20) and had helped him escape from Saul. Now she despises him. There were in fact two tents set up. One here, to house the Ark, and another later on about six miles north that held the other Tabernacle furnishings (1 Chronicles 16:39-40).

 

Michal confronts David and her words just drip with sarcasm. But David is concerned about how the Lord sees him, not how Michal, or anyone else, evaluates him. Because of this, she will have no part in the Davidic dynasty, and had no children.

 

Lessons

 

David?s motives were right but his methods were ill-informed

 

As a leader he took personal responsibility for the failures of others under his direction

 

David learned from his mistakes and it did not deter him from trying again, after waiting for a signal that it was okay

 

Adoring God was more important than the adoration of men

 

David chose his loyalties well, aligning with God rather than Saul, who are we more loyal to?

 

David treated worship with national honor worthy of a celebration like that of a military victory. How important is worship to us?