Orthodox Icon of King David dancing before the Lord

King David Dancing Before the Lord COPYRIGHTED ART. Do not copy or without prior permission from "Come and See" Icons, Books & Art.
The Sunday following Christmas
Sticheron (Tone 1)
Come, let us extol David the king, the grandparent of God; for from him sprang out a stem, namely the Virgin, and from that did shine forth Christ the Flower, renewing the creation of Adam and Eve from corruption; for he is compassionate.

This icon commemorates the events on 2 Samuel 6, when King David brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. As the Ark was being moved "David danced before the Lord with all his might, and David was girded with a linen ephod." As near as we can tell an ephod was just two pieces of cloth joined to a belt. Saul's daughter Michal upbraided David for this display, saying he had abased himself by exposing his nakedness before the young women of the kingdom. David said that he was not dancing for them, but before the Lord. Michal was cursed for this criticism and died childless. This icon shows David completely clothed with sleeves so long they dangle off his hands. What this says is that even though to Michal's jealous eyes, David was naked, his dance of innocent jubilation before the Lord covered him in God's glory.

This icon is by the hand of Lasha Kintsurashvili of Tbilisi, Georgia. It is from the Prophet David Church, Tbilisi, Georgia. Inscription is in Georgian.

Order # lkg-03