An Imperfect King

2 Samuel 6:14-23 (NIV)
14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. 16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. 17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18 After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. 19 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes. 20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” 21 David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” 23 And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

Michal was the first wife of King David and also the daughter of Saul. Michal loved David when Saul reigned as king. In The Bible it is the one place where a woman is said to have loved a man. She was a woman used, first by her father, King Saul, and then by her husband David. She was given by Saul as a wife to David for his victories over the Philistines. Later she helped David escape Saul’s wrath as he became jealous of David’s superior ability as a warrior. After David’s escape Saul gave Michal to be the wife of Paltiel trying to prevent David’s claim to the throne. David had even remarried before returning for his wife. After Saul died, David returned to reclaim Michal -- not because he loved her, but because her lineage strengthened David's claim to the throne. Paltiel was grief stricken and weeping as they took his wife away while nothing is mentioned of Michal’s feelings. (2 Samuel 3:14-16)

In the verses above David is rejoicing to bring the Arc of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. Wearing only an ephod, which was basically a small apron, David danced and whirled in ecstasy in front of the Ark as the procession made its way toward the palace. Verse 16 shows Michal’s emotional despair over David’s actions. Then she gives her reason in verse 20, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” David’s reply was not the kindest one. David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” Basically he told her as King he could do anything and that he would rather have the admiration of others than the respect of his wife. The last word of Michal was she died having no children.

In marriages made under God they are a covenant of commitment to one another. It is a commitment to love, honor, trust, protection, care and faithfulness. David did not show these qualities as a husband. In fact David made many mistakes when it came to marriage and parenting.

As imperfect as David was – God loved David because David loved God, which we see throughout Psalms. Remember this about your life. God is looking for your love, not perfection. God makes us perfect by trusting in His love for us, which is why God gave His Son Jesus to die for our sin. Trust in God and Trust in Jesus as your Savior.