2 Samuel 6:21
But David said to Michal, "I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel. I will celebrate before the LORD,
But David said to Michal
David's response to Michal, his wife and the daughter of Saul, highlights a personal and familial tension. Michal had criticized David for his exuberant worship, reflecting a deeper conflict between the house of Saul and David. This tension is rooted in the transition of kingship from Saul to David, which was marked by divine selection and human jealousy.

I was dancing before the LORD
David's dance was an expression of worship and joy as the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem. This act of worship was significant because the Ark represented God's presence among His people. David's uninhibited worship contrasts with Michal's concern for royal decorum, emphasizing the priority of heartfelt worship over human traditions.

who chose me over your father and all his house
This phrase underscores the divine election of David as king. God rejected Saul due to his disobedience and chose David, a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). This choice was not based on human merit but on God's sovereign will, illustrating the biblical theme of God's authority in appointing leaders.

when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel
David acknowledges his kingship as a divine appointment. This reflects the biblical understanding that true leadership is established by God. David's rule is seen as a fulfillment of God's promise to establish a king who would shepherd His people, a role that foreshadows the ultimate kingship of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd.

I will celebrate before the LORD
David's commitment to celebrate before the LORD highlights the importance of worship in the life of a believer. His declaration signifies a resolve to prioritize God's honor above human opinion. This celebration is a precursor to the joy found in the presence of God, a theme echoed throughout Scripture, culminating in the eternal worship of God in Revelation.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The second king of Israel, known for his deep relationship with God and his role in establishing Jerusalem as the political and spiritual center of Israel.

2. Michal
The daughter of Saul and wife of David, who criticized David for his exuberant worship as the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem.

3. The LORD
The covenant name of God, Yahweh, who chose David to be king over Israel.

4. The Ark of the Covenant
A sacred chest that held the tablets of the Ten Commandments, representing God's presence with His people.

5. Jerusalem
The city that David established as the capital of Israel and the central place of worship.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereign Choice
David acknowledges that his position as king is due to God's sovereign choice, not human merit. This reminds us to recognize and submit to God's authority in our lives.

Worship with Abandon
David's uninhibited worship serves as a model for us to express our love and reverence for God without fear of human judgment.

Prioritizing God's Approval
David's response to Michal shows that pleasing God should take precedence over seeking approval from others, even those close to us.

Joy in God's Presence
The joy David experiences in God's presence is a reminder of the joy available to us when we live in close relationship with Him.

Respect for Sacred Things
The event underscores the importance of respecting what is sacred and approaching God with reverence and awe.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does David's response to Michal reflect his understanding of God's sovereignty in his life, and how can we apply this understanding to our own circumstances?

2. In what ways can we express our worship to God with the same freedom and joy that David demonstrated?

3. How can we prioritize God's approval over human approval in our daily decisions and actions?

4. What are some practical ways to cultivate joy in God's presence, especially during challenging times?

5. How does the account of bringing the Ark to Jerusalem challenge us to approach God with reverence and respect in our worship practices?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Samuel 16
This chapter describes how God chose David over Saul, highlighting the divine selection that David references in his response to Michal.

1 Chronicles 15
Provides additional details about the event of bringing the Ark to Jerusalem, emphasizing the importance of proper worship and reverence for God.

Psalm 150
Encourages exuberant and joyful worship, similar to David's celebration before the LORD.
David Dancing Before the Ark Because of His ElectionSpurgeon, Charles Haddon2 Samuel 6:21
Irrepressible Praisefulness2 Samuel 6:21
Reasonableness of Religious Zeal2 Samuel 6:21
When to Shout Glory2 Samuel 6:21
Bringing Up the ArkC. Ness.2 Samuel 6:1-23
Care of the ArkJ. Parker, D. D.2 Samuel 6:1-23
David Restoring the ArkB. W. Newton.2 Samuel 6:1-23
Seeking the Ark of the CovenantC. S. Robinson, D. D.2 Samuel 6:1-23
The Ark Brought BarkA. Mitchell, D. D.2 Samuel 6:1-23
The Ark Brought to ZionW. H. Green, D. D., LL. D.2 Samuel 6:1-23
The Ark Brought to ZionG. F. Coster.2 Samuel 6:1-23
The Ark Brought Up to JerusalemW. G. Blaikie, D. D.2 Samuel 6:1-23
The Ark the Centre of Service and WorshipMonday Club Sermons2 Samuel 6:1-23
The Return of the ArkC. M. Fleury, A. M.2 Samuel 6:1-23
A Despiser RebukedG. Wood 2 Samuel 6:20-22
Unholy ScornB. Dale 2 Samuel 6:20-23
People
Abinadab, Ahio, David, Israelites, Michal, Obed, Obededom, Perez, Saul, Uzzah
Places
Baale-judah, Geba, Jerusalem, Perez-uzzah
Topics
Anyone, Appoint, Appointed, Celebrate, Chose, Dancing, David, Fixed, Leader, Lord's, Merry, Michal, Play, Played, Playing, Prince, Rather, Ruler, Sons, Yea
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Samuel 6:21

     1351   covenant, with David
     5387   leisure, pastimes
     5509   rulers

2 Samuel 6:1-23

     7270   Zion, as a place

2 Samuel 6:16-23

     5745   women

2 Samuel 6:20-22

     5879   humiliation

Library
Emmaus. Kiriath-Jearim.
"From Beth-horon to Emmaus it was hilly."--It was sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem.--"To eight hundred only, dismissed the army, (Vespasian) gave a place, called Ammaus, for them to inhabit: it is sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem." I inquire, whether this word hath the same etymology with Emmaus near Tiberias, which, from the 'warm baths,' was called Chammath. The Jews certainly do write this otherwise... "The family (say they) of Beth-Pegarim, and Beth Zipperia was out of Emmaus."--The
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The King --Continued.
The years thus well begun are, in the historical books, characterized mainly by three events, namely, the bringing up of the ark to the newly won city of David, Nathan's prophecy of the perpetual dominion of his house, and his victories over the surrounding nations. These three hinges of the narrative are all abundantly illustrated in the psalms. As to the first, we have relics of the joyful ceremonial connected with it in two psalms, the fifteenth and twenty-fourth, which are singularly alike not
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David

The Danger of Deviating from Divine Institutions.
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." St. Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles. The care of the churches gathered among them devolved particularly on him. At the writing of this epistle he had no personal acquaintance with the church to which it is addressed.* Epaphras, a bishop of the Colossians, then his fellow prisoner at Rome, had made him acquainted with their state, and the danger
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

Excursus on the Present Teaching of the Latin and Greek Churches on the Subject.
To set forth the present teaching of the Latin Church upon the subject of images and the cultus which is due them, I cite the decree of the Council of Trent and a passage from the Catechism set forth by the authority of the same synod. (Conc. Trid., Sess. xxv. December 3d and 4th, 1563. [Buckley's Trans.]) The holy synod enjoins on all bishops, and others sustaining the office and charge of teaching that, according to the usage of the Catholic and Apostolic Church received from the primitive times
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Letter xxiv (Circa A. D. 1126) to Oger, Regular Canon
To Oger, Regular Canon [34] Bernard blames him for his resignation of his pastoral charge, although made from the love of a calm and pious life. None the less, he instructs him how, after becoming a private person, he ought to live in community. To Brother Oger, the Canon, Brother Bernard, monk but sinner, wishes that he may walk worthily of God even to the end, and embraces him with the fullest affection. 1. If I seem to have been too slow in replying to your letter, ascribe it to my not having
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Reprobation Asserted: Or, the Doctrine of Eternal Election and Reprobation Promiscuously Handled, in Eleven Chapters.
WHEREIN THE MOST MATERIAL OBJECTIONS MADE BY THE OPPOSERS OF THIS DOCTRINE, ARE FULLY ANSWERED; SEVERAL DOUBTS REMOVED, AND SUNDRY CASES OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. BY JOHN BUNYAN OF BEDFORD, A LOVER OF PEACE AND TRUTH. 'What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.'--Romans 11:7 London: Printed for G. L., and are to be sold in Turn-stile-alley, in Holbourn. Small 4to, 44 pages. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. This valuable tract
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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