[Biblestudent]

Hello, everyone! I'm new here. Can anyone help explain to me these verses?

Ps 149:3
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
Ps 150:4
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Ec 3:4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

I pastor a KJB Baptist church in the Philippines, and we have no "such custom". Churches around us here even adopted the idea to have a ballet dance ("interpretative" dance) as an "invocation". What do ye say?

We are too far removed from the days of the Psalmist to KNOW what they did.

We do KNOW this...

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

No doubt, though, people would prefer to dance

Originally Posted by Biblestudent

Ps 149:3
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
Ps 150:4
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Ec 3:4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

I have read that the word used in reference to David dancing before the Lord means basically leaping excitedly - not like what we would call dancing today. Plus, it was just him - not the whole congregation dancing at once.

There are several places in Israel's history where they celebrated their victories with dance - but I would not necessarily call those times of worship, but rather of public celebration - and again it was not the whole congregation of Israel dancing at one time or together. In Exodus 15, we see Miriam and some of the women dancing.

Exodus 15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

I do not believe Ecclesiastes is referring to any kind of dance used in worship - but like what happened above, some kind of vistory/celebration dance. From what I recall of Israel's history, the men and women worshipped separately, and would have also danced separately - not like some public dance where the men and women are together and have their hands on one another, moving suggestively. If a husband and wife want to do that privately in their home or bedroom, that is up to them - but it has no place in the public life of the church or of a Christian.

Dancing is controversial. I've seen "appropriate" dancing before. It was movements of joy and done without sensuality of anykind. Dancing isn't a command just like tamborines (timbrals) aren't. If they were, then every person in every church better use one and get moving. So, I associate these verses with the followinf NT verses:
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
and--
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

[Biblestudent]

Yes, it is controversial indeed! I remember when I was a child that dancing in worship is "Charismatic" or "Pentecostal", and Baptists who imitated the practice were termed "Bapticostal". Today, the so-called "Praise and Worship" movement is very unpopular. Since, again, we have "no such custom" in our church, some young people are asking if it is wrong. What do you say about this?

Praise and worship music is typically soft rock - and I bet any child dancing to it, is moving to the rhythm, not dancing in worship.

We do not find David moving to the music - we find him leaping for joy.

[Biblestudent]

Originally Posted by Biblestudent

Yes, it is controversial indeed! I remember when I was a child that dancing in worship is "Charismatic" or "Pentecostal", and Baptists who imitated the practice were termed "Bapticostal". Today, the so-called "Praise and Worship" movement is very unpopular. Since, again, we have "no such custom" in our church, some young people are asking if it is wrong. What do you say about this?

Oops, sorry... what I meant was "very popular".

2 Samuel 6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

David told Michal that he danced before the Lord. Those in churches today say they are dancing before the Lord.

David admitted to a vile dance,

2Sa*6:22
And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

"of them shall I be had in honour", seems to me he was showing off for them.

When I attended a Pentecostal church many years ago, we sang a song "Dance Like David Danced". We danced and it was fun. I don't like to pass judgment but I do wonder if today's dancing in the churches is before the Lord, or is it fun?

Grace...........

King David wasn't showing off. What Michal got upset about and what David referred to was his associating with and identifying with the common folk. They appreciated him - had him in more honour - because of this - but in her pride she despised him more because of this.

I hope the dance wasn't too inappropriate. Grace