http://bible.com/events/18795900
We are introduced to David with this description: “a man after God’s own heart…”(1 Samuel 16:14)
Perhaps the reason he was described this way is because David was a worshipper.
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2 Samuel 6:12-22NIV
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.”
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-The Ark of the Covenant represented the physical manifestation of God here on earth
-David is leading a military contingent returning the Ark of the Covenant back to its home in Jerusalem after it had been captured in war
-David worships “with all his might”
-This story is not just how David worshipped but also Michal’s reaction to that worship
-This is about worship, showing the heart for God juxtaposed against a heart focused on self
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Worship (David)
-Passionate (“with all his might”)
-Expressive (singing and dancing)
-God-centered (“I will celebrate before the Lord”)
-Concerned with the heart (“It was before the Lord”)
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“Non-Worship” (Michal)
-Passive (“watched from a window”)
-Held back (observing)
-Human-focused (“How the king of Israel has distinguished himself”)
-Concerned with appearances (“as any vulgar fellow would”)
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The bottom line:
The heart of God moves me from observation to participation.
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John 4:23-24NIV
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
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Psalms 149:3NIV
3 Let them praise his name with dancingand make music to him with timbrel and harp.
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Psalms 30:1-12NIV
1 I will exalt you, Lord,for you lifted me out of the depthsand did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2 Lord my God, I called to you for help,and you healed me. 3 You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;you spared me from going down to the pit. 4 Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment,but his favor lasts a lifetime;weeping may stay for the night,but rejoicing comes in the morning. 6 When I felt secure, I said,“I will never be shaken.” 7 Lord, when you favored me,you made my royal mountain stand firm;but when you hid your face,I was dismayed. 8 To you, Lord, I called;to the Lord I cried for mercy: 9 “What is gained if I am silenced,if I go down to the pit?Will the dust praise you?Will it proclaim your faithfulness? 10 Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” 11 You turned my wailing into dancing;you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.
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Psalms 150:1-6NIV
1 Praise the Lord.Praise God in his sanctuary;praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power;praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.Praise the Lord.