1 Chronicles 13:8
And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets. And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
David and all Israel celebrated before God with all their might, with singing and with harps, psalteries, timbrels, cymbals, and trumpets, as they brought the ark toward Jerusalem, David's city. That rejoicing belonged to the first, unsuccessful attempt to move the ark on a cart, and Uzzah's death in the midst of the celebration abruptly ended it in grief. Their wholehearted effort, sincere motives, unity, and joyful worship did not make their course right, because they had not sought God according to His prescribed order given through Moses, but had placed the ark on a cart instead of having the Levites carry it by hand with its staves. Replacing God's commanded way with human invention was the first step in the sin, and Uzzah's later touching of the ark brought judgment and death, showing that ignorance does not excuse transgression. When the ark was later carried according to God's instructions, the joy was greater because the people had obeyed the requirements and had a clearer sense of its holiness. Seeking God therefore requires following His revealed order and not substituting human methods even from apparently good motives, for rejoicing before the Lord is praise only when it is ordered, and the song that accompanied the ark's entry into Jerusalem will be sung again when the faithful are taken to heaven.
Celebration and Historical Setting
David and all Israel played before God with all their might, with singing and with harps and psalteries and timbrels and cymbals and trumpets, as the ark was brought toward Jerusalem, toward David's city. The playing was wholehearted and joyful, done with great effort and strength and with many kinds of musical instruments. The reading that they played before God with all their might makes sense of the parallel account's description of their music.
The celebration belongs to the first, unsuccessful attempt to move the ark, when it was placed on a cart, even a new cart, instead of being carried by hand with its staves. That attempt came before David resolved to follow God's instructions for transporting the ark. Replacing God's commanded way with human invention was the first step that led on to Uzzah's later act and judgment.
The verse belongs to the account of moving the ark from the house of Obed-edom toward Jerusalem, where it had remained three months, to bring it to David's city and place it in a tent he had prepared. The occasion was a great national rejoicing. But Uzzah's death in the midst of the celebration abruptly ended it, turning triumph into grief and changing the people's mood.
Disobedience Despite Sincere Worship
David and all Israel celebrated before God with all their might, with singing and many instruments, in unity and with sincere motives and joyful worship, yet none of that made their course right because they had not sought God according to his prescribed order given through Moses. The disobedience was in placing the ark on a cart instead of having the Levites carry it as God had directed. That cart was even a new cart, but it still departed from God's direction that the ark be carried by hand with its staves. After repentance the ark was carried on the priests' shoulders.
Replacing God's commanded way with human invention was the first step in Uzzah's sin. That earlier error, justified by precedent, led to his later disobedience and death. His later act of touching the ark with unconsecrated hands came after that disobedience and brought judgment. The breach turned triumph into grief. Ignorance does not excuse transgression.
When the ark was later carried according to God's instructions, the joy was greater because the people had a clearer sense of its holiness and had obeyed the requirements. A song of praise accompanied its entry into Jerusalem. The verse is evidence that David reorganized the sanctuary services and regulated the duties of the priesthood, relying on God's promise concerning a faithful priest.
True Worship and Future Song
Seeking God means seeking Him after His revealed order, not setting it aside for human methods even when the motives seem good. David and all Israel brought the ark toward Jerusalem with great rejoicing, yet their celebration did not make the manner of carrying it right, for placing the ark on a cart violated God's instruction. That breach brought judgment and turned triumph into grief. The playing before God with all their might, with singing and many kinds of instruments, is an example of rejoicing before the Lord, but confused or incoherent noise is not praise to God.
Unity and praise did not make the removal right, because God had not been sought according to His prescribed order. After repentance the ark was carried on the priests' shoulders, and a song of praise accompanied its entry into Jerusalem. That song about the King of glory was also sung when Christ took a company of people from their graves to heaven, and it will be sung again when the faithful are taken to heaven.