Bible Verses

The Best 50+ Bible Verses About Dancing

Created:
January 15, 2025
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Updated:
February 3, 2025
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Author:
Joseph Cox

Ever found yourself tapping your feet to a rhythm that just won't quit? Dancing has a way of lifting spirits and connecting us to something greater.

In the pages of the Bible, you'll discover a treasure trove of verses that celebrate the joy and freedom of dance. Let's explore these passages together and see how they inspire us to move with purpose and passion.

50 Bible Verses About Dancing

10 Bible Verses on Dancing in Worship

Psalm 149:3
  • "Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp." — Psalm 149:3
  • "Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod." — 2 Samuel 6:14
  • "Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!" — Psalm 150:4
  • "Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances." — Exodus 15:20
  • "And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart." — 1 Chronicles 15:29
  • "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together; For I will turn their mourning to joy, Will comfort them, And make them rejoice rather than sorrow." — Jeremiah 31:13
  • "When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, there was his daughter, coming out to meet him with timbrels and dancing; and she was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter." — Judges 11:34
  • "Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart." — 2 Samuel 6:16
  • "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness." — Psalm 30:11
  • "Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments." — 1 Samuel 18:6

10 Bible Verses on Joyful Dancing

Ecclesiastes 3:4
  • "A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance." — Ecclesiastes 3:4
  • "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing." — Luke 15:25
  • "Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice." — Jeremiah 31:4
  • "Both the singers and the players on instruments say, 'All my springs are in you.'" — Psalm 87:7
  • "The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." — Zephaniah 3:17
  • "You shall have a song As in the night when a holy festival is kept, And gladness of heart as when one goes with a flute, To come into the mountain of the Lord, To the Mighty One of Israel." — Isaiah 30:29
  • "The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; Among them were the maidens playing timbrels." — Psalm 68:25
  • "Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp." — Psalm 149:2-3
  • "And the servants of Achish said to him, 'Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands"?'” — 1 Samuel 21:11
  • "Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful." — Psalm 33:1

10 Bible Verses on Celebratory Dance

Exodus 32:19
  • "So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain." — Exodus 32:19
  • "And see, and behold! If the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, then come out from the vineyards, and every man catch a wife for himself from the daughters of Shiloh; then go to the land of Benjamin." — Judges 21:21
  • "And when he had brought him down, there they were, spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah." — 1 Samuel 30:16
  • "So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, 'O Baal, hear us!' But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made." — 1 Kings 18:26
  • "And saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.'" — Matthew 11:17
  • "They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance." — Job 21:11
  • "The harp and the strings, The tambourine and flute, And wine are in their feasts; But they do not regard the work of the Lord, Nor consider the operation of His hands." — Isaiah 5:12
  • "Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, Streaming to the goodness of the Lord—For wheat and new wine and oil, For the young of the flock and the herd; Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, And they shall sorrow no more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together; For I will turn their mourning to joy, Will comfort them, And make them rejoice rather than sorrow." — Jeremiah 31:12-13
  • "The joy of our heart has ceased; Our dance has turned into mourning." — Lamentations 5:15
  • "So the women sang as they danced, and said: 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.'" — 1 Samuel 18:7

10 Bible Verses on Dance of Praise

Psalm 95:1-2
  • "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms." — Psalm 95:1-2
  • "Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day." — Psalm 96:1-2
  • "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Sing to the Lord with the harp, With the harp and the sound of a psalm, With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King." — Psalm 98:4-6
  • "Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing." — Psalm 100:1-2
  • "Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!" — Psalm 47:1
  • "Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious." — Psalm 66:1-2
  • "Sing aloud to God our strength; Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob. Raise a song and strike the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the lute." — Psalm 81:1-2
  • "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night, On an instrument of ten strings, On the lute, And on the harp, With harmonious sound." — Psalm 92:1-3
  • "I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You." — Psalm 144:9
  • "Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints." — Psalm 149:1

10 Bible Verses on Dance as Expression

Song of Solomon 6:13
  • "Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon you! What would you see in the Shulamite—As it were, the dance of the two camps?" — Song of Solomon 6:13
  • "The joy of our heart has ceased; Our dance has turned into mourning." — Lamentations 5:15
  • "But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod." — Matthew 14:6
  • "And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, 'Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.'" — Mark 6:22
  • "They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not weep.'" — Luke 7:32
  • "If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!'" — 1 Corinthians 15:32
  • "But wild beasts of the desert will lie there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches will dwell there, And wild goats will caper there." — Isaiah 13:21
  • "Take a harp, go about the city, You forgotten harlot; Make sweet melody, sing many songs, That you may be remembered." — Isaiah 23:16
  • "The mirth of the tambourine ceases, The noise of the jubilant ends, The joy of the harp ceases." — Isaiah 24:8
  • "On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, Yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city; Because the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks." — Isaiah 32:13-14

What Does the Bible Say About Dancing

The Bible paints a vivid picture of dancing as a powerful form of expression, deeply intertwined with worship, joy, and celebration. From the jubilant dance of David before the Lord in 2 Samuel 6:14 to the prophetic dance of Miriam in Exodus 15:20, these verses highlight how dance can be an act of worship and a way to honor God. It’s a reminder that our bodies, as well as our voices, can be instruments of praise.

Joyful dancing is another recurring theme, as seen in Ecclesiastes 3:4, which speaks of a time to dance, and Jeremiah 31:4, where the people of Israel are encouraged to rejoice with tambourines and dance. These passages invite us to embrace moments of happiness and to express our gratitude and joy through movement. They remind us that dancing can be a celebration of life’s blessings and a way to connect with others in shared joy.

Moreover, the Bible acknowledges dance as a form of expression in various contexts. Whether it’s the celebratory dance in 1 Samuel 18:7 or the dance of praise in Psalm 95:1-2, these verses encourage us to use dance as a means to express our emotions and connect with our faith. By incorporating these teachings into our daily lives, we can find new ways to celebrate, worship, and express our innermost feelings, fostering a deeper connection with our spirituality and community.

How to Apply Dancing Bible Verses in Daily Life

Integrating the teachings of dancing from the Bible into your daily life can be both enriching and joyful. Start by setting aside a few moments each day to dance as a form of worship. This can be as simple as moving to your favorite worship song in the privacy of your home.

Consider incorporating dance into your prayer routine. As you pray, let your body move naturally to express your emotions and connect more deeply with your faith.

  • Join a dance group: Look for local dance groups or church activities that focus on worship through dance. This can help you build community and share your joy with others.
  • Teach children: Encourage children to express their faith through dance. This can be a fun and engaging way to teach them about worship and joy.
  • Celebrate milestones: Use dance to celebrate personal milestones or achievements, thanking God for His blessings and guidance.

By embracing these practices, you can make dance a meaningful part of your spiritual journey. Explore more prayers and Bible verses on PrayersFor or use our Bible Verse Generator to deepen your understanding and faith.

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