שמואל ב, פרק ו׳, פסוק ט׳

The sudden death of Uzzah completely shattered the joyous celebration of moving the Ark. What began as a moment of national triumph instantly turned into an experience of deep anxiety and hesitation for David. He was gripped by a profound fear of God, a direct reaction to the tragedy caused by the Ark [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He became terrified of the object itself, believing it was simply impossible for any person to be careful enough when dealing with its immense holiness [מצודת דוד].

On a spiritual level, David experienced a deep internal break. Normally, his service to God was driven by love and joy, a high spiritual state that draws down kindness and mercy. However, the shock and anxiety over the harsh punishment inflicted on Uzzah caused David to drop from this elevated state of love down to a lower spiritual level, one motivated merely by the fear of punishment [מלבי״ם].

Overwhelmed by these emotions, David questioned how the Ark of God could possibly come to his home. This hesitation reflected a twofold fear. First, knowing he had fallen from his previous spiritual heights, he no longer felt worthy to host the Ark. Second, he recognized that God was acting with strict justice toward anyone near the Ark, leading him to fear that whoever came close to its intense holiness was in mortal danger [מלבי״ם].