Dancing for the King
Pastor Janet Saddel – July 28, 2024
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12-19
NRSV
6 1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 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. 3 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 4 with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. 5 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.
12 It was told King David, ‘The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.’ So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing; 13 and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14 David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 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. 17 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. 18 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, 19 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.
Herod was a tetrarch, a puppet of Rome. This was a power-hungry man, driven by his new wife, Herodias. And he was also a weak man who had very little self-control when it came to his desires. The dance led Herod into sin. He had sinful thoughts, he couldn’t control himself. The girl’s dance for the king became a dirty deed when it led to the death of a prophet.
David celebrates the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant finally arriving in Jerusalem. King David worships by dancing with delight before the Lord.
David knows that reverence to God involves being humble before God. King David was ready to serve the Lord without thinking of what others may say. David wasn’t concerned with showing off who he was as King. He was more concerned with giving praise to his God – the God of Israel – the Lord God Almighty!
David is a man who loves his God, who rejoices in his maker. This is the true David and this is who David is at his best. A man who was so in love with God that he didn’t care what anyone thought as he danced with delight! He worshiped God with sincerity and joy of heart, bringing honor and glory to God.
Herod did not have a heart for God. He only cared what the world thought of him.
We all do dances in life. Sometimes we dance to impress a boss; sometimes the dance is to impress friends or family. But the only dance we should truly dance is a dance for the King.
King David’s dance was one of praise, it glorified God. David’s dance told the story of the Lord God Almighty, the true King. And David’s dance still goes on today.
The Lord of the Dance [Jesus] offered the dance of salvation – a dance of selfless and self-giving love. His dance goes on today and his dance will go on forever.
What about your dance? Are you dancing for the King?
