“Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their strength, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and with trumpets.” (1 Chronicles 13:8, LSB) 

The modern evangelical church faces numerous challenges. Passion and “vibes” aren’t lacking, though. In fact, the modern evangelical movement emphasizes and showcases its emotional focus, often displaying its energy and excitement as proof positive that they love God. I’d argue that loving God with our hearts just as much as our minds is a biblical principle that many churches need to be reminded of. However, I’d also contend that too many churches ride the wave of emotionalism, believing that the outward expression of these “worship experiences” is God’s primary concern. It’s not.  

Now, if I were part of this movement of emotional excess, swaying to the moody singing with the lights down low and hands raised high, I wouldn’t need to provide any proof. After all, how I feel is enough. But I want to argue against that, and so I will offer biblical proof, the only true proof that really counts.

The passage from 1 Chronicles 13:8 is part of an intriguing section of the Old Testament. It is often cited to support emotion-driven worship. First, let me emphasize that God is concerned about us worshiping Him in truth. In John 4:24, Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24, LSB). I am not suggesting that we must choose between emotion and truth, but truth takes precedence over emotion. To worship the Lord in error, even if we are excited and passionate about it, is egregious. 

Along with truth, we must realize that God is holy and not like men. Hosea 11:9 says, “For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath” (Hosea 11:9, LSB). In Isaiah 12:6, the Lord states, “Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 12:6, LSB). Holiness doesn’t only mean sinless; it also means not creaturely. Although Jesus came as a man, He is the God-man. He is unique and not created.

First Chronicles 13:8 describes the passionate and energetic worship of a small group of worshippers as they attempted to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. However, if you read a little farther in the chapter, you will find a shocked and terrified king standing beside a dead man. What happened? God struck down one of the men in the procession, named Uzzah, for daring to touch the Ark with his hands when it appeared to be falling from the cart it was being transported on.

Didn’t God see their passion? Didn’t God see that Uzzah only meant well? What happened? Again, God is more concerned with truth and His holiness than energy and passion. In chapter 15, we see that the lesson was learned. Verse 2 says, “And David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for Yahweh chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever” (1 Chronicles 15:2, LSB).

David had given up hope of moving the Ark of God, so he placed it in a nearby farmhouse after Uzzah died. It remained there for a time, but he wanted to bring it to Jerusalem again. This time, however, he remembered that God wants to be worshiped in truth and holiness as well as passionate energy. When he made his plans, he didn’t place the Ark on an ox-cart as he had done before. Instead, he enlisted the Levitical priests and informed them that this was how Yahweh chose to have his Ark moved. 

As he spoke to the priests, he ensured they were prepared to encounter this holy God. He instructed them: “and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites; set yourselves apart as holy, both you and your relatives, that you may bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it” (1 Chronicles 15:12, LSB). 

We also read how David arrived at this conclusion in the next verse: “Because you did not carry it at the first, Yahweh our God broke out against us, for we did not seek Him according to the legal judgment” (1 Chronicles 15:13, LSB).

Some within modern evangelicalism dismiss all of this, believing that truth and holy reverence stifle emotion and passion. They’re mistaken. It channels those feelings properly toward God and away from ourselves. Worship isn’t meant to be performative, yet it often is in the church today. Instead, it should elevate the heart to God, humbling us as we offer ourselves in reverent love as His people.

Once David had everything in order, according to God’s prescribed rules for worship, the Ark was moved. Was it somber? Was it more like a funeral march because truth and reverence were required? Absolutely not. Joy was evident. In verse 25 we read, “So it was David, with the elders of Israel and the commanders over thousands, who went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the house of Obed-edom with gladness” (1 Chronicles 15:25, LSB). That passion spread, and we read in verses 27-28, “Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen with all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. Thus all Israel was bringing up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, and with sound of the horn, with trumpets, with loud-sounding cymbals, with harps, and lyres” (1 Chronicles 15:27–28, LSB).

What we observe is that even while adhering to the law, there was still joy, passion, gladness of heart, and a celebration of God. There wasn’t the wild and unregulated worship that the pagans practiced. Instead, the One True God was worshiped as He desires, in Spirit, Truth, and Holiness.