1 Chronicles 15:25-29: a reflection

25So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring the ark of the LORD’s covenant up out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy. 26When God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the choir master with the singers; and David had an ephod of linen on him. 28Thus all Israel brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant up with shouting, with sound of the cornet, with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps. 29As the ark of the LORD’s covenant came to David’s city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

As David brings the ark of God up to Jerusalem, he leads the celebration with uninhibited, wholehearted joy, dancing and playing before the LORD with all his might, clothed simply, joining the shouting and the music. But his wife Michal, watching from a window, sees him dancing and playing, and despises him in her heart. Two responses stand side by side: David's unselfconscious, joyful worship, given wholeheartedly, and Michal's scornful reserve, despising him for it. David worshiped with joyful abandon; Michal looked on with a proud, cold heart.

Notice the contrast between David and Michal. David worshiped God with wholehearted, uninhibited joy, not too proud or self-conscious to dance and celebrate before the LORD, giving himself to the worship without reserve. Michal, by contrast, watched with a scornful, reserved heart, despising David for his undignified joy, too proud to join such abandon. David's joy was wholehearted and unselfconscious; Michal's heart was cold and scornful. The one gave himself to joyful worship; the other looked on and despised it.

That contrast is worth taking to heart, for we can be tempted to Michal's scornful reserve rather than David's joyful abandon. We can hold back from wholehearted, unselfconscious joy in worshiping God, too proud or self-conscious to give ourselves to it, even looking with a kind of scorn on those who do; but David worshiped with joyful abandon, undeterred by any scorn. Do not hold back from wholehearted, joyful worship out of pride or self-consciousness, or look with scorn on the joyful worship of others, as Michal despised David; give yourself to joyful worship of God, undeterred by scorn, as David danced before the LORD with all his might. Be like David, worshiping God with unselfconscious joy, rather than like Michal, holding back in scornful reserve; and do not let the scorn of others deter you from wholehearted joy in worshiping God, as David worshiped with joyful abandon though Michal despised him in her heart.

Lord, as David brings the ark up to Jerusalem, he leads the celebration with uninhibited, wholehearted joy, dancing and playing before you with all his might, joining the shouting and the music. But his wife Michal, watching from a window, sees him dancing and despises him in her heart. Two responses stand side by side: David's unselfconscious, joyful worship, and Michal's scornful reserve. David worshiped with joyful abandon; Michal looked on with a proud, cold heart. Show me the contrast between David and Michal. David worshiped you with wholehearted, uninhibited joy, not too proud or self-conscious to dance and celebrate before you. Michal, by contrast, watched with a scornful, reserved heart, too proud to join such abandon. The one gave himself to joyful worship; the other looked on and despised it. Take that contrast to my heart, for I can be tempted to Michal's scornful reserve rather than David's joyful abandon. I can hold back from wholehearted, unselfconscious joy in worshiping you, too proud or self-conscious to give myself to it, even looking with a kind of scorn on those who do; but David worshiped with joyful abandon. Keep me from holding back from wholehearted, joyful worship out of pride or self-consciousness, or looking with scorn on the joyful worship of others. Help me give myself to joyful worship of you, Lord, undeterred by scorn, as David danced before you with all his might. Help me be like David, not like Michal.