I witnessed something extraordinary yesterday that I simply must share with you. Outside the local mall, where my children and I had just finished shopping for holiday clothes, stood an elderly gentleman probably in his eighties. Beside him, his wife accompanied him on a portable piano as he sang with a voice that stopped us in our tracks. His repertoire flowed seamlessly between traditional Hebrew prayers, Simon and Garfunkel ballads, Beatles classics, and operatic pieces. My childrenānormally restless after shoppingāstood mesmerized, completely captivated by this unexpected performance.
“Mommy,” my five-year-old whispered, tugging at my sleeve without taking her eyes off the elderly singer, “his voice makes my heart feel like Shabbat.”
This moment reminded me of one of the most powerful stories in the Hebrew Bibleāwhen King David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. This wasn’t just a religious ritual; it was a defining moment that reveals what true worship looks like.
The Bible tells us:
This wasn’t some stiff, formal ceremonyāDavid and his people threw themselves into a joyous, noisy celebration, their musicians playing so loudly you could probably hear them from the next town.
After an initial setback, when David finally succeeded in bringing the Ark to Jerusalem, something remarkable happened. The Hebrew text uses the word mekarker (×Ö°×Ö·×ØÖ°×ÖµÖ¼×Ø) to describe David’s dancingāa term that means to whirl or dance with complete abandon. The king of Israel, the most powerful man in the nation, cast aside all royal dignity and danced wildly before the Ark.
His wife Michal watched from a window:
When she later confronted him about his undignified behavior, his response was unapologetic: “I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this”
This story cuts to the heart of what worship truly is. David understood something that many of us forget: true worship isn’t about maintaining appearances or following established protocols. It’s about bringing our authentic, unfiltered selves before God. David’s wild, uninhibited dance wasn’t inappropriateāit was the most appropriate response to God’s presence.
What makes David’s example so powerful is that he was willing to look foolish in the eyes of others. As king, he had the most to lose by sacrificing his dignity. Yet he considered no price too high for expressing his genuine joy before God. His wife’s criticism bounced off him because he wasn’t dancing for her approvalāhe was dancing for an audience of One.
The Hebrew word for this kind of authentic worship is avodah (×¢Ö²××Ö¹×Öø×), which carries the dual meaning of both “work” and “worship.” This linguistic connection teaches us that true worship isn’t something we casually add to our lives when convenientāit requires effort, intention, and our whole selves.
In our carefully managed, image-conscious world, David’s example is more countercultural than ever. We’re taught to maintain control, to care deeply about others’ opinions, to compartmentalize our emotions. David’s wild dance before the Ark challenges all of that. He shows us that sometimes the most appropriate response to God’s goodness is to let go of our carefully curated images.
When I saw my children captivated by that elderly singer outside the mall, I caught a glimpse of what David must have experiencedāthat pure, unself-conscious absorption in music that bypasses our analytical minds and speaks directly to our hearts. Children naturally understand what adults struggle to remember: that sometimes the most profound response is simple, uninhibited joy.
Next time you find yourself moved by music, remember David dancing before the Ark. Remember that the king of Israel considered no expression too extravagant, no gesture too undignified when responding to God’s presence. Perhaps in that memory, you’ll find permission to worship with your whole heart, regardless of who might be watching from the window.
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