Read 2 Samuel 6:12-23
This story in 2 Samuel is one of the reasons David is my all-time favorite Old Testament character. After a time of great tragedy (you can read about this in 2 Sam. 6:1-11), David is now moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. During this processional, a huge praise service is taking place, and the people are praising God "with shouting and the sound of the trumpet" (v. 15). David joins in with all of the people and praises God "with all his might" and is "leaping and dancing before the Lord" (vs. 14, 16). Does this surprise you? Picture this scenario in your head. The King of Israel has thrown off all restraints and hindrances. He is unashamedly sold out for God, and he doesn't care who knows it! His soul is so overflowing with joy and praises, that he is actually leaping around and dancing in celebration. What a worship service that must have been!
As David is worshiping, his wife Michal is observing from a window in the distance, and verse 16 says that she "despised him in her heart." In verse 20 she rebukes David for how he had acted and basically calls him a fool. Is David embarrassed or regretful of what he has just done? Quite the opposite! He responds by claiming he would gladly be even "more undignified than this" (22). David is clearly only concerned with what the Lord thinks, rather than preoccupied by what others are thinking about him.
Why was Michal so repulsed by David's actions? We don't know exactly what was going on in her heart. Perhaps she felt guilty because she wasn't worshiping God in such a way as David was. By tearing him down she could make herself look better and could justify her own failure to praise God with such a display of worship. Or perhaps she didn't walk with God herself and simply couldn't understand why David would act that way. Regardless of her reasons for despising him, we can see that the sight of David worshiping God made her angry, ashamed of him, and bitter.
When reading this story, it's easy to criticize Michal and look down on her. However, the more I read this story, the more I start to realize that I am oftentimes just like her! I will be the first to admit that I have, like Michal, judged people during worship times. Perhaps they were raising their hands a little too much, or on the other end of the spectrum, perhaps they were too motionless or stoic. Who am I to judge the heart? We must recognize that believers worship in many different forms. It's interesting to note that during this time of great celebration and worship, that Michal was not worshiping at all! She was too busy watching other people worship and evaluating what they were doing to actually praise God herself. We must let God alone determine whether or not a person's worship is truly authentic; it's not our role!
So does this mean we should all start leaping and dancing around on Sunday morning? I think the point is not necessarily the outward expression of David's worship, but his heart. This was total abandonment. He was surrendering everything to the Lord in worship and holding nothing back. He wasn't focused on what others were doing but was instead tuned into God alone. How many of our worship times look like that? It's much easier to watch what others are doing around you and copy them so you can blend in. If everyone else is closing their eyes, then you feel like you'd better do it also. If no one else is clapping, then you'd better restrain from doing so. I definitely don't think our worship should be a distraction to those around us, but I wonder why we are so tuned in to what others are doing during worship time. I am just as guilty of this as the next person. During worship time I am often thinking about why I don't like the song played, or how I can harmonize with the melody; this keeps me from truly worshiping God in my heart. This is certainly something I need to pray about, and I hope you will as well!
I'd encourage you to spend some time in private worship this week. When no one's around, go in your room and turn up Hillsong or another worship band of your choice, and worship God! With no one else there, all of your focus on what others are doing disappears, and it's just you and God~
