1 Chronicles 15:25 - Meaning and Application

Everything was now ready for bringing the ark to the city of David and welcoming it there. So this passage gives an account of the solemn trip from the house of Obed-edom, the man who had housed the ark. This was no ordinary move, because the ark was the sign of God’s special presence among his people.

First, God helped the Levites who carried it. The ark was not a heavy load, so they did not need physical strength in any unusual way. Still, it is good to notice God’s providence, his wise care over all things, even in matters that seem within our own power. If God did not help us, we could not take even one step.

In all our worship, we especially need help from heaven. All our ability for holy work comes from God. The Levites may also have remembered what happened to Uzza, when judgment came because the ark had been handled wrongly, and that likely made them afraid. God helped them by calming their fears, strengthening their faith, and enabling them to do the work safely and rightly. If we carry out any religious duty without error and come away unharmed, we should credit God’s help, because left to ourselves we would likely fail in dangerous ways.

God’s ministers, those who carry the holy things of the Lord, especially need divine help in their service. Then God is honored in them, and the church is built up through them. And when God helps the Levites, the whole people benefit from it.

When they saw clear signs of God’s presence with them, they offered sacrifices of praise (1 Chronicles 15:26). God helped them to do that as well. They may have offered these bulls and rams partly to make atonement, that is, to make amends for the earlier mistake so it would not be held against them. They also did it to thank God for the help they had just received.

There was also great rejoicing. Sacred music was played, David danced, the singers sang, and the people shouted (1 Chronicles 15:27, 1 Chronicles 15:28). We saw this before in the earlier account (2 Samuel 6:14, 2 Samuel 6:15). From this we learn that we serve a good Master, one who delights to have his servants sing while they work. We also learn that times of public reform should be times of public joy. Those who are not glad to see the ark are not fit to welcome it.

It is no shame for the greatest people to show zeal in worship. Michal, Saul’s daughter and David’s wife, despised David for it (1 Chronicles 15:29), but her contempt did not make him any less worthy. David did not care, and neither did any wise and good person think worse of him. Why should we long for the approval of anyone except those who are wise and good?