It is interesting: what did Michal see that made her look down on David not only literally, but also figuratively? One could, of course, explain everything by the features of early prophetic religiosity that were characteristic of David. Its outward manifestations sometimes really did look strange and not very presentable: turbulent ecstasies, sometimes indistinct speech, and much else that outwardly did not fit well with the rules of respectable behavior, especially if to all this one adds that in moments of ecstatic prophetic dancing prophets often tore off their outer clothing, and sometimes not only outer clothing. But is that the only issue? One could also recall, for example, that in general people in those times viewed prophets as special and unusual people, and at the same time as strange ones, and that prophet and madman were sometimes designated by the same word. Here one could already speak not only about David's era, but about any other. Of course, neither Michal nor anyone else in those times would have said anything against Yahwism. Such a statement would have looked at least inappropriate, not because Yahwism was then the state religion, but simply because to speak against Yahwism would have meant speaking against one's own people. Every normal and decent person then had to be a Yahwist, of course in Jewish society. But even despite the religious upsurge connected with the relatively recent end of the war, religiosity in "respectable society" was encouraged "in moderation." David, of course, now belonged precisely to "respectable society"; he could no longer allow himself to be simply a prophet, as he had been before. But David himself thinks differently: he feels himself to be first of all a prophet, and only second a king. And he becomes a good king precisely for that reason. Any society can become respectable without quotation marks only if each of its members learns to listen to and hear God, without looking back at any "respectability" or any "measure."

The Levites were to carry the Ark to its new place, but David gathered all the people for the celebration of its transfer. The Levites are not a self-contained caste, but part of the people, although appointed to a particularly important ministry. This part represents the whole: in the Levites before the Ark stand all the people who remain faithful to God. Therefore the transfer of the Ark is a celebration for all the people, a day of joy that is entirely natural before the Lord. This is why David's order that the musicians loudly proclaim the sound of rejoicing is so understandable. Centuries will pass, and the Son of David will bring the Good News to mankind, but David already understands that joy before the Lord is higher than everything people habitually value.

Michal, however, does not reason this way; David's departure from proper etiquette is unbearable to her. Michal's reaction to David's spontaneity reflects not only her inner state; it reveals the inward closedness that so often prevents a person from opening both to the Lord and to other people.