II. Sam. vi. 12-14: “And it was told King David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. And it was so, that when they that bear the ark of the Lord, had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen epod.” This dancing was in daylight. David alone danced. It was a religious exercise, in devotion to the Lord.
I. Chron. xv. 29: “And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul, looking out at a window, saw King David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.” This dancing was in daylight. David alone danced. He danced as a religious exercise. It was not dancing for amusement.
Psalms cl. 4: “Praise him with a timbrel and dance; praise him with stringed instruments and organs.” Also, Psalms cxlix. 3: “Let them praise his name in the dance.” This also is a religious exercise.
Eccl. iii. 4: “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” We do not remember the point made on this. We have seen from the Scriptures already cited, that in the former ages, when they danced as a religious exercise, it was always in daylight, and in no case promiscuous dancing of men and women together, and the _time_ for it was when the Lord had wrought some great deliverance or brought some signal, given some great victory.
Job xxi. 11-18: “They send forth their little ones like a flock, and the children dance. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him?, Lo, their good is not in their hand; the counsel of the wicked is far from me. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. They are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carrieth away.” Here we have a terrible description of the dancers for pleasure, amusement; of their godless character and utter ruin.
