David danced in public – unfit for a king?
Are we embarrassed to honor Jesus in the public square?
By Steve Hall
Michal was embarrassed that the King, her husband, had made a spectacle of himself by dancing in public. You can almost hear her disgust as she exclaims: “We hire people for that!” But David’s response is unequivocal: “I will make merry before the Lord.”
Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
2 Samuel 6:12b-15, 17-19
Mark 3:31-35
The Ark of the Covenant, along with Solomon’s Temple, is probably the two most widely known creations from Old Testament times. With the exception of a foundational wall, the Temple no longer exists. The current status of the Ark remains a mystery. In David’s time, however, it was a celebrated physical testament to the events of the Exodus. In many ways, it was concrete evidence of God’s presence among his people.
Today’s reading from the second book of Samuel tells of the young King David’s procession in which the Ark is brought to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was conquered by David early in his reign and later became the country's capital. It was appropriate that the Ark should reside there as well. David celebrates the event by dancing before the Ark as the procession advances to Jerusalem. That portion of the book assigned as the day's reading ends a tad too soon, however.
Some years earlier, David had married King Saul’s daughter, Michal. She had her own opinions on how state affairs should be conducted. Just two more verses from Samuel tell us what transpired after the procession arrived at its destination.
“And David returned to bless his household. But Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David, and said, ‘How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!’ And David said to Michal, ‘It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will make merry before the Lord.’” (2 Samuel 6:20-21)
Michal was embarrassed that the King, her husband, had made a spectacle of himself by dancing in public. You can almost hear her disgust as she exclaims: “We hire people for that!” But David’s response is unequivocal: “I will make merry before the Lord.”
The brief passage we are given from Mark’s Gospel suggests a connection between the Old and New readings. This account of Jesus’ mother and brethren has occasionally been interpreted as presenting a situation of some concern for Jesus’ family. With no proper training, Jesus is teaching. Although this interpretation seems a stretch given the information provided, it does suggest a connection between the two texts. Micah was embarrassed that her husband should give such a public performance in dancing before the Ark. Were Jesus’s mother and brothers embarrassed as well? After all, Jesus wasn’t trained as a Rabbi. But even more important: Are we ourselves embarrassed to mention or give honor to Jesus in the public square?
“We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles…” (1 Corinthians 1:23)
“The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
So let us not be embarrassed to make known the source of our life.
This reflection on King David's public display of worship offers a powerful challenge to modern Christianity's tendency toward respectability politics. David's willingness to appear "unfit" by worldly standards in his celebration before God reveals something essential about authentic faith—it isn't meant to be sanitized or dignified according to human conventions. The question you pose about whether we're embarrassed to honor Jesus in public resonates deeply in a culture where religious expression is often expected to be private and unobtrusive. David's example reminds us that genuine devotion sometimes requires us to risk looking foolish in the eyes of those who don't understand it.