The Wonder of Worship

“David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with songs…”

2 Samuel 6:5a

 

Worship. It can be defined as either the reverence given to a divine being, or the extravagant respect rendered to an object. The subtle wording difference separating the two focal points fundamentally transforms the underlying priorities and pursuits of our lives. Worship should be reserved for humanity’s daily offering to God, but so many times we choose to present our heart’s attention to trinkets, or idols. Clearly, this is not how God intended it to be. Scripture affirms that no obsession should overtake the obsession to know the Lord and be enamored with Him. His love, knowledge, and power merit our undying dedication and admiration. But to engage in an undying, divine dedication and admiration mankind must bring itself to a state of humble submission, and resist the temptation to allow other fixations to divert us from strengthening our relationship with God.

 

Numerous biblical passages highlight the disastrous ramifications of worshipping anyone or anything but God: Adam and Eve’s desire to chase God-like status (Genesis 3), the Hebrew nation’s desire to craft a visible, false god made of precious metal (Exodus 32), and Achan’s desire to steal unpermitted loot from conquered settlements (Joshua 7). Therefore, the Scriptural moments that underscore peoples’ willingness to elevate praising God over everything else are rare and refreshing. And such a moment is presented in 2 Samuel 6. The past few blog posts have addressed verses in 1 Samuel, which calls attention to David’s hurdle-ridden ascension to the throne of Israel. The would-be king encountered much heartache and pain before he was given the reigns to lead a nation. God removed the relational crutches of David’s life and compelled David to find a revitalized ability to lean on God like never before. David was eventually crowned king of Israel officially in 2 Samuel 5. The long-awaited day had finally arrived. No doubt, this event was met with excitement and relief on David’s part.

 

But the thirty year old king wasted no time in getting civil affairs in order. David relocated from Hebron to Jerusalem, perhaps because the Jerusalem territory provided a more defendable position in the elevated, mountainous terrain. And when the Philistines learned that David had become Israel’s second king they renewed their unending war campaign against the Hebrew people. So David and the Israelite army fought the Philistines on two different occasions, and routed the fearsome foes both times by seeking God’s guidance and counsel. After this, David set out to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant and take it to Jerusalem. In an effort to speed the journey from Baalah to Jerusalem, David condoned the construction of a cart to transport the holy artifact in a more expeditious manner, even though God had specifically instructed the Ark of the Covenant to be hand-carried by use of gold-plated wooden poles (Exodus 25:15). The penalty of ignoring God’s explicit instruction on the matter resulted in the death of Uzzah, who tried to steady the chest as it was shifting in route. After this, David was dismayed and placed the chest in a nearby residence. But shortly thereafter he reignited the fire to have God’s presence close-by symbolically (represented through the proximity of the Ark of the Covenant). David then had the chest removed from its temporary quarters and moved to Jerusalem, presumably according to the proper transport protocol.

 

As the Ark of the Covenant made its way into Jerusalem David was overwhelmed with exuberant praise. He leapt and danced with great enthusiasm. He initiated the presentation of burnt and peace offerings. As he led the people in worship, his wife, Michal, observed David’s lively conduct with contempt. She perceived David’s animated display of enthusiasm to be unbecoming of a king. But David was a man after God’s own heart and his heart longed to unashamedly honor God, even if it entailed an ecstatic spirit and a passionate posture. The king of Israel had a firm grasp on a timeless truth: there is wonder in worshipping God. That the Maker of heaven and earth would so compassionately reach out to His creation is nothing short of astounding. David’s astute hold of this consideration induced him to exercise a jubilant, energetic veneration of God.            

 

Consider the sharp contrast between David and Michael through this account. The king was submerged in a worship-filled attitude of astonishment whereas his wife was submerged in a disdain-filled attitude of anger. In God, David was satisfied and happy. In her husband (and in an incorrect assumption of civil behavior), Michael was scornful and hateful. The opposing focal points generated completely different worldviews. This begs the question, “What is our life engrossed with?” Is it God, or something/someone else? David’s example underscores that God is the goal and purpose in life. To know Him. To respond to Him. To be captivated by Him. To praise Him. To accept His love and reciprocate it to the world. There is an inexhaustible joy that comes from a fellowship and nearness to God. When we feel His presence and we are engrossed in His heavenly message we are wholly placed in an atmosphere of joy, a joy that can overcome past or present pain-filled memories. This was at the heart of David’s dance-filled demonstration of worship. He possessed a joy, a joy that seemed foreign to many others, including Michal, his wife. But this did not deter the king from engaging and exercising the wonder of worship. After all, David was not concerned with how others perceived it; he was only concerned with presenting his wonder-filled worship offering directly to God.