Expressions of Joy and Condemnation

And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns. As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.

When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, how distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!

The event recorded above illustrates King David’s and the people’s great joy at the return of the Ark of the Covenant. There was singing and music and David, perhaps overwhelmed with great joy, danced in celebration. It was a big event!

However David’s wife Michal wasn’t too impressed with David’s behavior and dressed him down good. She was disgusted with him and mocked him and said he was “vulgar”.

David defended himself and told Michal… God chose me over your precious father Saul and he did it for a reason. You may not like it Michal but I serve God and I will celebrate before him and if you think my behavior was undignified just wait… I will become more undignified in my celebration of Him. Yay David!

We kind of see the same thing today… people’s expression of joy before the Lord. I’ve seen people lifting their arms up and swaying with the singing. I’ve seen clapping and whooping and hollering. Even people speaking during a public prayer saying things like… “amen” and “tell it brother.”

I’m uncomfortable with that kind of thing because that’s not my culture. I was raised to sit in the pew and keep my mouth shut and my arms down, but to tell you the truth I kind of wish I was free to express my joy like David expressed his.

Just because I’m uncomfortable with expressive behavior doesn’t make that behavior wrong and I’d better think two or three times before I condemn others for it.

Michal was the daughter of a king who wasn’t like her husband-King and in her princess pride she failed to account for the fact that she married a King who was really just a shepherd boy at heart and whom God loved very much. She should have gone down and danced in joy with him.

Way too bad for her that God cursed her so she would never bear God’s anointed son David… a son and never have a chance to be named in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Huge mistake… gigantic.