Let’s Dance

by Jane Josephs

“Let them praise His name with dancing and make music to Him with timbrel and harp.” –Psalm 149:3

My husband and I have been taking rumba dance lessons for a few months now. We’re certainly not the most graceful dancers in the class, but we laugh a lot and enjoy socializing with others in between each choreographed song.

Dancing isn’t high on the list in the Bible of ways to worship God. But there are a few notable examples of times when God’s people just couldn’t help but kick up their heels. Take the story of the day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians by parting the Red Sea. “Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing” (Ex. 15:20).

King David was another example of one who got caught up in the moment and expressed it with his whole being. As the ark of the Lord was brought back into Jerusalem after some time away, David, “wearing a linen ephod, was dancing before the Lord with all his might” (2 Sam. 6:16).

But my favorite reference to dancing in the Bible is found in Psalm 149:3: “Let them praise His name with dancing…” This command is special to me because a friend of mine danced to these words (set to the music of composer Ned Rorem) at my wedding, fifty years ago. She was the picture of grace and beauty!

I don’t know what your schedule looks like this week, or what joys or trials may come your way. But I can almost guarantee if you put a little “two-step” to the Lord in your day, you’ll find a smile won’t be far behind.

Dear Lord, We desire to praise You always! Help us find new and creative ways to express our love and devotion to You, even as Miriam and David did in their dancing. In Your name we pray, Amen.