II Samuel 5-6

“How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” (6:9).  David was horrified that Uzzah was killed for touching the ark carelessly.  Just as when the Philistines sent the ark of the Lord to Beth-shemesh, and seventy Israelites died after disrespecting it (I Sam 6), God was making His holiness abundantly clear.  Being chosen by God did not mean the Israelites controlled the ark or could take the Lord’s favor for granted; God’s glory was awesome, terrifying, far above all sinful humanity.

“And David danced before the Lord” (6:14). God’s great mercy in Christ – not our righteousness – invites us into His presence, where we experience the joy of worshipping our Creator.