Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 6:12; 1 Chronicles 15:1 – 16:36; Psalms 96 & 105

I like thinking of this story of David, on our Easter Sunday, when our Lord rose from the dead again and brought life, hope and great joy back into the lives of his followers again.

David has been told of the blessing that came upon the household of Obed-Edom, because of the ark being lovingly cared for in his house, but this time, he realizes that according to the will of God, it is the Levites who should carry the ark. So he prepares quite a number of the different tribes of Levites to go to do the task. He also has the priests consecrate themselves and his speech to the people, for me is very touching. He owes and takes the blame that they had not enquired of God about how to do the task and acknowledges God’s holiness in all that God does! And again David reveals that he has prepared a place for the ark as he built his own house. And I wonder what that means for me? How do I show that God’s presence in my house is valued and honoured?

How could the ark be brought up without joy? So David prepares musical instruments and singers to “sing joyful songs!” I wonder as I go to worship the Lord this morninig, will there be joyful songs, celebrating His resurrection? Are there joyful songs and singers in my home?! Certainly the opposite to this are the Israelites in the desert, who were forever grumbling!

And as the ark makes it journey up into this very special city, there is much rejoicing. But there is one person who doesn’t rejoice and that is David’s wife, Michal, David’s enemy Saul’s daughter, who feels that David’s unrestrained rejoicing and dancing at the occasion of the ark being brought up to his house, was done in a way that disgraced him! Certainly his love for His Father God, wasn’t disgraceful!

And so the ark is placed inside the tent which David had prepared for it and plans to continually have regular times of rejoicing before the Lord. His master musician, Asaph, writes the psalm of thanks to the Lord. It remembers the long journey of salvation, because of the covenant of the faithful God, Who brought salvation to His people in rescuing them from Egypt. How much more has He done in rescuing us from our lost condition and as I look around at a perishing world, far from a loving Creator God, I am glad that I belong to my loving Father’s family and my loving Lord Jesus.

And He will deliver us as in the prayer of the second Psalm and He will come as judge of a world who continually rejects Him, but we too like Israel will be gathered and delivered from a sinful world. Is it any wonder that all the people said, “Amen,” and “Praise the LORD”? I think that you and I can say the same thing! Certainly I hear the joyful echo deep within my heart!