David was a King in Israel. Like the rest of us, David sometimes failed to follow God's rules. David caused some major damage to himself and others. But David loved God and he was willing to repent and to accept God's correction. In Acts 13:22 the Bible tells us that God called David a man after His own heart.
David married, Michal, the daughter of a king. She had been brought up right. She knew proper religion. She knew what was not proper.
The Bible tells us that David was coming back to Israel with the ark of the Lord. This was an important religious symbol which had been stolen from them in war. They were so happy to be bringing it back that they started to party.
Michal looked out the window to see David wearing a simple shift such as a servant might wear and "dancing before the Lord with all his might." Her husband the king was out there dressed like a servant, shouting and leaping with commoners. Well! She knew something was wrong with that picture. After all, David was the king. Her husband was somebody important and this was a religious event.Michal did not run out to join the party. As the sounds of ceremony and blessing drifted through her windows, she fanned the flames of anger. By the time David got home, he was in big trouble.
The Bible tells us that Michal read David the riot act. David replied that He would continue to follow God. He explained that the next time might even be worse than the last.
Michal refused to join in the joy of Israel. She choose religion over the joy of the Lord. It was a poor choice then and it is a poor choice now.
To read the entire story, see II Samuel 6.