David Twerks!

2Samuel 6:14-16

David danced before the LORD with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

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The disco folks all dressed up
Like they's fit to kill
I walk on in 'n' see 'em there
Gonna give them all a thrill
When they see me comin'
They all steps aside
They has a fit while I commit
My social suicide

I'm a Dancin' fool

"Dancin' Fool" by Frank Zappa from "Sheik Yerbouti"

As a Christian of the Presbyterian variety, we are often called the "Frozen Chosen." We take John Calvin's injunction to do all things "decently and in order" very seriously, and maybe a step or two too far. So as much as we would have loved to be there when David came rolling into Jerusalem with the Arc of the Covenant, we would have been standing solemnly by the side of the road waiting for the parade in reverence and we would have preferred a pipe organ to trumpets. That would have been decent and in order.

But then again, we need to take a really good look at the scene. Let's look at David, here comes the king, wearing nothing but a linen ephod, dancing down the street, shouting. An ephod is an apron, it's a garment worn by the priests to cover themselves as they prepare the offerings. It keeps blood off the robes. This is all David is wearing! Oh, to top this off he probably smells like the holy bar-b-q pit master too because they've been making burnt offerings all along the route. David, buck naked except for a "Kiss the King" apron, dancing like a fool, oblivious to everything around him except for presence of God.

So generally speaking, Presbyterians would resemble David's wife Michal more than David.

So when David is dancing, all "his kingly glory" is hanging out for the world to see. He's moving like the proverbial dancin' fool. Modesty? It's not even an afterthought, he's just dancing like nobody's watching, except the Lord.


How many of us can do that? Not me, I may be a little too Calvinist, I just hope I'm not too much like Michal. Michal was more than disapproving of David twerking in worship of the Lord, she despised him in her heart. It's important for us to remember that God favors worship, even when it's David "in his kingly glory," though I hope nobody asks me to get naked in the name of God.

So worship, worship like nobody's watching. Michal can just despise all she wants when the Lord finds worship worthy. That's her problem.