Matthew Henry Commentary 2 Samuel 6:1-5

"And David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him, from Baale-judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of Jehovah of hosts that sitteth [above] the cherubim. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah with all manner of [instruments made of] fir-wood, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with castanets, and with cymbals." — 2 Samuel 6:1-5 (ASV)

God is present with the souls of His people when they lack the outward tokens of His presence; but now that David is settled on the throne, the honor of the ark begins to revive. Let us learn from this to think and speak highly of God, and to think and speak honorably of holy ordinances, which are to us as the ark was to Israel—the tokens of God's presence (Matthew 28:20).

Christ is our Ark; in and by Him, God manifests His favor and accepts our prayers and praises. The ark especially typified Christ and His mediation, in which the name of Jehovah and all His glories are displayed.

The priests should have carried the ark upon their shoulders. Philistines may carry the ark in a cart without suffering for it; but if Israelites do so, it is at their peril, because this was not what God appointed.