Commentary - 2 Samuel 6:12-15

Bird's-eye view

In this passage, we see David's second, and this time successful, attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. Having learned a hard lesson from the death of Uzzah, David now approaches the task with a potent combination of reverent fear and exuberant joy. The presence of God had been a source of terror, but news of God blessing the house of Obed-edom teaches David that God's holiness is a source of life for those who approach Him on His terms. This section is a master class in true worship. It is sacrificial, it is whole-hearted, it is humble, and it is corporate. David, the king, models for his people how to celebrate the nearness of God, setting a pattern for all of Israel and for the Church to follow.

The central image is that of David dancing before the Lord with all his might. This is no stuffy, formal procession. It is a triumphant, joyful, and loud celebration. By stripping off his royal robes for a simple linen ephod, David demonstrates that before Yahweh, he is not primarily a king, but a servant and a worshiper. The entire event is a foreshadowing of the joy that accompanies the establishment of Christ's kingdom, a joy that should characterize the people of God as they live in His presence.

Outline

Context In 2 Samuel

This passage must be read in the immediate shadow of the preceding verses (2 Sam. 6:1-11). The first attempt to move the ark was marked by human innovation, a new cart, which resulted in presumption, the death of Uzzah, and David's fear and anger. He had abandoned the project, leaving the ark at the house of Obed-edom. The three-month interval is crucial. It is a period of reflection for David and a demonstration of God's character. God is not simply a capricious power to be feared; His presence is a source of immense blessing when respected. This second attempt, therefore, is not just a logistical success but a theological correction. David has learned that holiness must be handled God's way, and when it is, the result is not death but life and gladness.

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 12 Then it was told to King David, saying, “Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.

The story turns on this report. The very presence of God that had brought death to Uzzah has brought life and prosperity to Obed-edom. Notice the scope of the blessing: his "house" and "all that belongs to him." God's blessings are not ethereal; they are tangible, affecting family, livestock, and property. This is the two-edged nature of God's presence. It is a consuming fire to those who treat it lightly, but it is a life-giving sun to those who receive it with reverence. David gets the message. His fear, which had previously caused him to halt the procession, is now transformed into a godly desire to have this blessing for the whole nation in Jerusalem. He doesn't go grudgingly, but "with gladness." He has learned that the proper response to God's holiness is not sullen distance but joyful, obedient approach.

v. 13 And so it happened, that when those who were carrying the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

This is a critical detail. David is not taking any chances this time. The first attempt was marred by a lack of reverence. This one is saturated with it. Why sacrifice after only six steps? Because David understands that every step into the presence of a holy God must be covered by blood. This is not a superstitious ritual to appease an angry deity. It is a profound theological statement. We are sinners, and we cannot approach God on our own merits. The sacrifice acknowledges their sin and dependence on God's gracious provision of an atonement. This act sanctifies the entire procession from the very outset. It is a constant reminder that our access to God is purchased by the death of another. This points us directly to the cross, where the ultimate sacrifice was made, allowing us to be brought into the city of the living God.

v. 14 And David was dancing before Yahweh with all his strength, and David was girded with a linen ephod.

Here we have the heart of the matter. David's worship is not passive or reserved. He dances "with all his strength." This is masculine, energetic, uninhibited joy. This is not for show; it is "before Yahweh." His audience is God. True worship engages the whole person, body, soul, and spirit. It is an expenditure of energy for the glory of God. And what is he wearing? Not his royal crown and robes, but a simple "linen ephod." This was a garment worn by priests. David is setting aside his royal dignity to take up the posture of a servant and a worshiper. He is not approaching God as the great King David, but as a humble servant of the King of Kings. This act of humility is precisely what makes his worship so pleasing to God and so offensive to his prideful wife, Michal.

v. 15 So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of Yahweh with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

Worship is a corporate affair. It is not just David; it is "all the house of Israel." The restoration of God's presence to the center of national life is a cause for celebration for everyone. And it is a loud celebration. The shouting and the trumpets are not incidental noise. They are declarations of victory and coronation. Israel is bringing their true King, enthroned on the ark, into His capital city. This is what worship is supposed to be: a public, joyful, and loud proclamation of the lordship of God. It is a taste of the final day when the saints will cry out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

Application

This passage rebukes our modern tendency toward tame, respectable, and bloodless worship. We learn here that the presence of God is a serious and wonderful reality. We must approach Him on His terms, which means acknowledging our sin and clinging to the sacrifice He has provided in Jesus Christ. Without the blood of Christ covering us, we are all Uzzahs.

But under the blood, we are invited to be like David. Our worship should be characterized by uninhibited joy. We are not called to be stoic statues in a museum, but living sacrifices, offering our whole selves, our strength, our voices, our bodies, in praise to God. This is particularly a lesson for men. David's worship was robustly masculine, a far cry from the sentimental and effeminate piety that often passes for worship today.

Finally, we see that worship is a corporate and public testimony. The gladness, the shouting, the trumpets, were a witness to the surrounding nations that Yahweh was the God of Israel. Our joyful, corporate worship on the Lord's Day is our primary act of evangelism. It is how we bring the presence of God into our city and declare to a watching world that Jesus is King.