Friday 08 July 2016

Psalm: Psalm 117

Background 

It was a time of great celebration. The Ark of the Covenant (fora physical description see Exodus25:10-22), which contained the two stone tablets of the TenCommandments was being brought to Jerusalem. The noise andfestivities were huge (2Samuel 6:5), greater even than the open-top bus procession ofthe successful Wales football team. You wouldprobably have heard it across the city.

The procession was in two parts and today's passage is anaccount of the second half. A bull and a fattened calf weresacrificed. And King David danced with utter abandonment (verse14). But not without fault, according to the reaction of Michal,the daughter of the previous king. Verses20-23 recount the conversation between David and Michal: Michalsaw the king's public display as unworthy and undignified, whereasDavid viewed it as celebration before the Lord, and a matter justbetween him and God (2 Samuel6:21).

Notice how the celebration spreads out, and gifts are handed out- "a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins" to"the whole multitude of Israel". It sounds almost like an OldTestament party bag.

To Ponder

• In your faith, what makes you celebrate? And how do youcelebrate?

• How do you express your worship and praise physically? How doyou feel when others do so? Why?

• If you had to make a celebration goody bag from your localchurch, what would you put into it?