Every time we embark on a drive, whether to gather supplies or to go on a trip across the countryside; we make judgements of all others who are also driving on the road with us.  We remark about the crazy traffic that stalls at times at busy intersections.  We wonder why seemingly confused people with little regard for those around them still haven’t learned “the dance” of driving.  The term “the dance” can be used metaphorically to describe the fluid, coordinated, and often almost subconscious interactions that occur on the road when driving, especially when it comes to navigating complex situations like merging into traffic or yielding at intersections. 

Driving “the dance” is not a matter of leading; it is submitting to the circumstances with full attention to what lies ahead while attentively watching everyone around you.  We call it the “dance” for good reason.  Experienced drivers who know the “dance” maneuver traffic patiently and skillfully.  Experience comes from knowing the road ahead, anticipating what others drivers might do, with the intelligence to take turns, allowing for the mistakes others might make while avoiding the foolishness of road rage that leads to accidents and possible injury.  Knowing “the dance” of driving in heavy traffic saves lives!

When all kinds of humans with varied abilities and selfish attitudes get behind the steering wheel of a large vehicle, many go on a “power trip,” losing sight of the “the dance.”  Those on power trips think they are in full control of not only their vehicle but of all those driving on the road with them.  Power trips distract from a peaceful, enjoyable journey to our planned destination.

As the newly anointed and crowned king; David performs a sacred dance of praise to God who chose him.  He designates two trusted men to “drive” the Ark of God by ox cart back to Jerusalem from a place where it had been held in “captivity” by Israel’s enemies.  Unfortunately, the drivers didn’t know or remember all the rules of the road in transporting the Ark of God. These instructions were given by God to Moses and detailed in the Books of Exodus and Numbers. 

But, Uzzah’s death that didn’t deter David’s heart for God!  Driven by his overwhelming love for God; David burst into glorious praise and thanksgiving for all that God had done in and through him.  David’s dance demonstrated the fullness of his gratitude as he danced before God with relentless, unashamed, joyful praise. “I praise you with all that is within me.” Psalm 103:1

2 Samuel 6

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

6 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. ² He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. ³ They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart ⁴ with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. ⁵ David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

⁶ When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. ⁷ The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

⁸ Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

⁹ David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” ¹⁰ He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹¹ The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.

¹² Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. ¹³ When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. ¹⁴ Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, ¹⁵ while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

¹⁶ As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸ After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁹ Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

²⁰ When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

²¹ David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. ²² I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

²³ And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The phrase “I will praise you with all that is within me” signifies a complete and wholehearted expression of praise and adoration to God, encompassing all aspects of one’s being. We were created to praise God!  All living creatures were created to give God praise.  Praising God involves every part of your life, including thoughts, emotions, words, and physical actions, maybe even dancing. Yes, friends, praise might lead to dancing!  Dancing, in this context, is a physical expression of joy, thanksgiving, and surrender to God—not bringing others’ attention to us but merely as a response to God.

In the Bible, dancing is depicted as a joyful and unreserved way to express praise to God, as seen in the example of King David dancing before the Ark of the Lord. It’s a physical act of inner worship resulting in a powerful testimony to God as we express our faith in God.  

Pause, pray, and allow God’s Holy Spirit to teach us and lead us to all that is true.

• Do we really know the dance of our Lord, our God? 
• Do we know the “rules” that guide us to selfless, humbled praise found in God’s Word?
• Does our response to God draw attention to God or us?
• God’s knows our hearts, do we?  We must be completely honest with God. God is the One and Only to be praised and honored.  “He is the treasure that we seek.”  God is our all in all!

Research facts: 

• When they used a new cart drawn by oxen, they were following the pattern of the pagan Philistines; not the pattern given to Moses on Mount Sinai (Numbers 4). The lesson here is obvious: God’s work must be done in God’s way if it is to have God’s blessing.
• David danced enthusiastically in worship before the Lord and dressed for the occasion in a priestly linen ephod. His wife, Michal, possibly still grieving her father Saul’s death, accused him of shamelessly exposing himself; but 1 Chronicles 15:27 informs us that he was also wearing a royal robe under the ephod. Though not from the tribe of Levi, David was acting as both king and priest—a picture of Jesus, the Son of David, who holds both offices “in the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:20—8:13; see also Psalm 110).
• David’s dance was personal and sincere, and he did it before the Lord as he celebrated the coming of His presence into the capital city. 
• When the ark was safely installed in the tent, David blessed the people (another priestly act) and gave each person some bread and flesh (or wine) and a cake of raisins.
• Michal’s barrenness was a blessing from the Lord as this prevented Saul’s family line from continuing in Israel and therefore threatening the throne of David. God, in His Sovereignty, kept the lineage of David apart from any other dynasty because David’s line would culminate in the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ!

God knows what He’s doing—We must trust Him with all the details of our lives!

May we dance unashamed before our Lord, driven by His love for us and our love for Him, as we praise Him with all that is within us!

Lord,

Thank you for the demonstration of a holy dance by David, your chosen and anointed king. Thank you for Your Plan to save us. Thank you, Jesus, for willingly taking my place to pay by debt of sin. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for guiding us to truth in this passage.  May your power within us help us to live for you in all they ways that please you and give you praise! I love you with all that is within me!

In Jesus Name, Amen