I.
Last week we focused on singing as an element of praise. This week our focus is drawn to dance.

On your first reading of this passage take in the actions and the sounds as if you were sitting on a hilltop so you could clearly and hear David and the people assisting him in bringing the ark to the capital city of the Kingdom.

Rest with those images and sounds a few moments and then read the passage once again this time paying attention to David. Notice what he does. Notice his “body language” as he assembles the people, goes to the Ark, leads the people to the new home for the Ark, offers “burnt offerings and offerings of well-being,” blesses the people, and sends the people back to their homes after distributing food to them.

Are you able to catch any expressions on his face? If you haven’t, try watching him again.

II.
2 Samuel 6:1-5 (NRSV)

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.

2 Samuel 6:14-19 (NRSV)

David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

They brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before the Lord. When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, and distributed food among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people went back to their homes.

III.
As David, the Ark, and the procession of people enter the capital city there is at least one person displeased with what she sees and very displeased with David.

“As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.” (2 Samuel 6:16)

Take some time with Michal. When so much of the scene seems festival and joyful, why do you think she might “despise” David? How do you think she would have wanted the procession of the Ark into the “city of David” to go?

IV.
Where would you be most comfortable in all this? Waking with the people, playing an instrument, dancing, helping move and place the Ark, maybe helping with the burnt offerings, accepting David’s blessing and offer of food or with Michel looking down on all of it with a very displeased expression on her face?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}