And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Ephod which ordinarily was the habit of priests. But no law restrained others from using it, (Calmet) particularly on sacred occasions; as we often see laics in a surplice, when they have to sing Church music (Menochius)
David had also on a cloak of byssus; (Paralipomenon) and still Michol speaks as if he had been uncovered; because in this solemn ceremony, he was inspired to divest himself of his royal robes, and to act with a degree of enthusiasm; (Haydock) which would not have been otherwise becoming in a king. David is considered by some of the fathers as a figure of the priests of the new law; as he ate the loaves of proposition, was dressed like priests Sacerdos scitus erat David. (1 Iræn. iv.; St. Ambrose v. in Luc. vi.) (Calmet)
But because secret pride of heart is reproved by this which Elihu says, “All who seem to themselves to be wise will not dare to contemplate him,” it seems good to observe what great gifts of virtues David had obtained, and in all these with how firm a humility he maintained himself. For whom would it not puff up to break the mouths of lions, to rend asunder the arms of bears, to be chosen, when his elder brothers had been despised, to be anointed to the government of the kingdom when the kings had been rejected, to slay with a single stone Goliath who was dreaded by all, to bring back, after the destruction of the aliens, the numerous foreskins proposed by the king, to receive at last the promised kingdom, and to possess the whole people of Israel without any contradiction? And yet, when he brings back the ark of God to Jerusalem, he dances before the ark, mingled with the people, as though forgetful that he had been preferred to them all. And because, as is believed, it had been the c...
For our vows are celebrated when the church is united to Christ, as John says: “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.” Because of this marriage, therefore, it behooves us to dance, for David, at once king and prophet, is also said to have danced before the ark of the covenant with much singing. In high rejoicing he broke into dancing, for in the Spirit he foresaw Mary, born of his own line, brought into Christ’s chamber, and so he says, “And he, like a bridegroom, will come forth from his chamber.” Thus he sang more than the other prophetic authors because, gladder than the rest of them, by these joys he united those coming after him in marriage. And, by inviting us to his own vows in a more charming way than usual, having danced with such joy in front of the ark before his marriage, he taught us what we ought to do at those other vows. The prophet David danced, then. But what would we say that the ark was if not holy Mary, since the ark carried within it the tables of the coven...
