2 Samuel 6:16-23

The Focus of Worship

2Sam. 6:16-23

1. The _Act_ of Worship 6:16-19

A. Our Worship Does Not Imitate the _World_. (1 Sam. 5:2-11 shows the Philistines transporting the Ark with a cart and oxen; Israel tried to imitate the pagans and learned this method of transporting the Ark from them).

B. Worship Seeks to _Include_ the masses (6:18-19).

C. Worship might take _planning_ (6:16-19).

D. Worship takes _time_ (6:16-19). We have poor worship lives because we do not make time to Worship God. Next time God blesses you or answers prayer, bow your head or drop to your knees and give thanks!

2. The _Attitude_ of Worship (2 Sam. 6:20-23).

On this very joyous occasion, David danced before the Lord. He apparently had begun dancing with a robe over his Ephod (1 Chron. 15:27). Jerome, ca. A.D. 400, held that David was completely unclothed by the time he was finished dancing before the Lord. This, however, is very unlikely. David most likely danced along with others in this parade-like procession, and Michal’s criticism was exaggerated. Furthermore, it is possible David shed his outer robe since it is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 15:27 but is not mentioned here in 2 Samuel 6. This, however, would not have been immodest as the Ephod and the garments underneath were a sufficient covering. That being said, it is also possible that in David’s excitement, he forgot himself and possibly did accidently “show more than he intended” of his body. Because of Michal’s criticism, I think we are intended to deduce this. Even so, while certainly embarrassing, it was not sinful and not done intentionally.

A. Genuine worship is _Humble_ (2 Samuel 6:20-21).

B. Genuine worship is focused on _God_, not man (2 Sam. 6:20-21).

C. Genuine worship takes _other people_ into consideration (Exod. 20:26). Communal worship should take the desires and feelings of the group into consideration, with an understanding that it is not always possible to please everyone, and individuals need to make an effort to “go with the flow” of God’s plan. We see this in Exodus 20:26, “And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.”

A. What’s up with Michal?

Once Michal had helped David escape through a window (1 Sam. 19:12). Now, watching this through a window, she despises him (v.16). Their relationship had changed dramatically. Michal despised David “in her heart” (2 Sam. 6:16). Here, “in her heart” probably means deeply and passionately. She hated everything about what David was doing.

B. Why did she _hate_ what David was doing?

Michal had been David’s wife earlier and loved David (1 Sam. 18:20; 19:11-17). But Saul would not stop pursuing David to kill him. So, David went into hiding. Living in hiding meant that David was separated from Michal. Saul took the opportunity to marry off Michal to another man, Palti from Gallim (1 Samuel 25:44). David, on his part, also married new wives, including Abigail and Ahinoam. After Saul died in battle, David returned to Jerusalem to assume the throne and he requested that Michal be returned to him as his wife (2 Samuel 3:13). Michal's husband, Palti, seemed to care about her as he "went with her, weeping after her all the way to Bahurim" (2 Samuel 3:16). But she was returned to David in the palace where she lived as royalty. Michal was used by Saul and regarded as nothing more than a pawn. This took its toll on Michal, and she seems to be bitter about being used as bait to lure David to his death by her dad, used to demoralize David while he was away by being married to another, and then being reclaimed by David who now had five other wives. It would have been very painful indeed. This would certainly classify as trauma.

Lessons from Michal:

A. _Trauma_ does not trump all. God still holds us to account (2 Sam. 6:23).

B. Trauma can draw us _closer_ to God, or take us further away from God (

C. Wealth and position can lead to _pride_ and pretension (2 Sam. 6:16).

D. Using people as _pawns_ is not OK.

E. True Worship is _Humbly_ Focusing on God, Not On Our Own Reputations