Have you ever been to a wedding reception where somebody’s uncle hit the dance floor? No rhythm. No shame. Just pure, unfiltered joy.
King David was that guy.
For years, the Ark of the Covenant, the sacred chest that represented God’s presence, had been kept far from the capital. Finally, David brought it home to Jerusalem.
And David was so happy he couldn’t stand still.
With trumpets blaring and the people shouting, the King of Israel stripped off his royal robes and, wearing a simple linen garment, “danced before the LORD with all his might.”
With all his might. Not a polite little shuffle. Not a dignified sway. All. His. Might.
Not everyone was impressed. His wife, Michal, watched from a window and “despised him in her heart.” When David got home, she let him have it: “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today!” Translation: “You embarrassed yourself.”
David’s answer is one of the best comebacks in the Bible: “I will become even more undignified than this.”
That’s joy. Joy doesn’t care who’s watching. Joy isn’t about being cool or dignified. It’s about being so glad that God is near that you can’t help but celebrate.
And here’s the thing. Happiness depends on what happens. Joy depends on Who is with you.
So go ahead. Dance like David. Somebody may roll their eyes. That’s okay. You’re not dancing for them.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank-you for Your presence in my life. Thank-you for giving me the joy of David, so that I will celebrate You with all my might, no matter who is watching. Thank-you that the joy of the Lord is my strength. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Wikipedia: David, Ark of the Covenant, Michal
Look-It Up:
The story is told in 2 Samuel 6.
Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.
Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
Free Bonus:
David wrote many of the Psalms. The very last one, Psalm 150, calls for praising God with trumpet, harp, lyre, timbrel, strings, pipe, cymbals, and dancing.
The Ark of the Covenant got a Hollywood makeover in the 1981 movie Raiders of the Lost Ark.
David’s best friend was Jonathan, Michal’s brother (see Pray 4 Friendship).