Worship with Abandon

“And David danced before the LORD with all his might” (II Samuel 6:14).

It was a joyous day in the land. King David and the people of Israel were bringing the Ark of the Covenant to its place in Jerusalem. The people worshiped; they shouted. Trumpets sounded, and sacrifices were made every few steps. What joy everyone felt as they accompanied the Ark home! And there leading the people in this worship was their king. No one worshiped with more abandon that day than David. He danced with all his might.

At the end of the celebration, David returned home to continue the celebration and worship with his family (verse 20). Instead, his wife, Michal, met him with scorn and ridicule. She didn’t wait until he was inside the house to begin her rant. She rushed outside to meet him, her angry words spilling out.  “How silly you looked out there dancing around like that! How shameful!” She accused David of not behaving with the dignity of a king. How embarrassing to act that way in public. But David was not embarrassed. “It was before the Lord—and I’m willing to look even more foolish than this.”

The Bible says from that day forward Michal was barren and had no children. I think we can surmise she suffered from spiritual barrenness as well. And that is a much worse condition. What she presumed people thought was more important to her than what God thought.

Worship takes many forms. Some bow their face to the ground in adoration. Others sing, clap, raise their hands, or like David dance before God. It’s not as much our style of worship as our wholehearted, unashamed sincerity as we worship. It doesn’t matter who is around us. It’s all about Him.

Worshiping with abandon is not about our posture before God but about our attitude of worship.

David’s worship challenges us to give ourselves unreservedly to the Lord. Spiritually barren people may not understand or may even criticize, but we know true worship is “before the Lord.”

Oh come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Psalm 95:1-3

Prayer: Lord, I come to You with praise and adoration. Let my praise come to You with purity of heart and thanksgiving. I am here to worship You, not impress others. I want to worship You with complete abandonment.