Skip to main content

Hunter Plake, Dancing In The Courts: Joy in His Presence


'Dancing In The Courts' by Hunter Plake is about the essence of true joy and surrender. It reflects Plake's desire to choose Jesus over everything else, and rejoice in His presence and the promise of an eternal life with Him.

Hunter Plake - Dancing In The CourtsGrowing up in a family of musicians and minsters, Hunter Plake's path to his BEC Recordings debut took a few unexpected detours. As a teen, Plake led worship in his home church, even getting his GED his junior year of high school so he could attend ministry school. But it wasn't until he auditioned for NBC's The Voice that music became a possible career path. 'A friend of mine, Koryn Hawthorne, had just gone to the finale on The Voice. I thought, well, if she can do it,' Plake says with a smile. He ended up placing fifth in his season, opening doors for him to pursue music full-time.

After a few years of recording pop songs, producing and trying to make a go of it in Los Angeles, Plake felt something missing in his life. In June of 2020, his nagging and ever-present sense of emptiness grew into a full-on collpase. 'I hit a breaking point and had a total breakdown,' Plake says. 'I hit the end of myself.' In crisis mode, Plake turned inward, writing songs between himself and God instead of performing for an audience. His realization? If it comes down to choosing between anything and Jesus, Jesus wins every time! This insight has led to his latest song, 'Dancing In The Courts.' 

His commitment is clearly visible in the lyrics, 'I just wanna walk inside the light, 'Cause nothing in this world compares to eternal life.' With this song Plake encourages us to let go of our own burdens and pride, and make it a priority to find joy in God's presence. The chorus, 'Dancing in the courts with you, This life is temporary so I'm not gonna worry,' is a powerful affirmation of faith, a reminder to live fully in the moment, anchored in the unwavering hope of an eternal life with Him.

Plake's music gives listeners in the 'alternative' genre something to listen to but still know what the songs are about. His songs are not vague. It's about Jesus, you can hear that. With music that can carry you away intertwined with lyrics that keep you grounded, Plake's songs are a shining example of a man who's stepped back from the edge. 

Plake shares: 'At the end of the day, if I have to choose between Jesus or something else, I'll choose Him every time. That's what changed for me. That's what makes me excited. That's why I wanna do music.'

(Related scripture: John 8:12; Revelation 21:4; Psalm 84:10)

Listen to a podcast episode about this song

Connect with Hunter Plake


You can listen to the track directly on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0o06o4YM5i8KQSMXfZf57Z

Here is a link to the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1NyPybFxUo

Would you like to hear more CCM music? Then check out our Christian playlists on: https://www.christiandance.eu/playlists

PS: Did you know that the posts we have on Medium.com also contain the backstories that artists have shared with us? Check it out on: https://christianmusictoday.eu/

Tags:

Popular posts

"Guide Me (O, Thou Great Jehovah) / Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Ezra Worship Initiative – Ancient Wisdom, Fresh Waves

I'm sitting in traffic, Spotify on shuffle, listening to my collection of new releases. That's when the song "Guide Me (O, Thou Great Jehovah) / Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Ezra Worship Initiative starts to play. The song starts with a revamp of a 280-year-old hymn "Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah", and then beautifully transitions to the chorus of Hillsong's "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)". This medley made my heart do a little cartwheel!  The hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" (originally "Arglwydd, arwain trwy'r anialwch" in Welsh) by William Williams (a Welsh Methodist preacher) was inspired by the biblical story of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. Williams wrote this in 1745 as a plea to God for guidance while traveling through life's wilderness. A 280-year-old plea that is still very relevant for us today.  "I am weak, but Thou art mighty // hold me with thy powerful hand," a thought that ...
More >>

'Lonely Dirt Road' by Dax: A Journey to Solitude and God

Dax's 'Lonely Dirt Road' is a conversation that Dax has with himself and God. Dax shares his journey of turning mental health walks into healing solitary drives. As you listen, you can almost feel the cruise, where it's just you, your thoughts, and God.  The chorus is so relatable: 'When I need space, that's where I go, a place to escape that nobody knows.' What do you do when life's pressures stack high? Do you also have a space where you can let go? That lonely dirt road that Dax sings about symbolizes solitude, but it is also an incredible opportunity for connecting with God.  Dax's honesty is raw and relatable. 'I didn't want my family to see me cry… dealing with the pressure of trying to provide.' There are times when we all put on a smile to hide how challenging situations may be. Like his father, Dax says that he finds peace on this lonely road, where challenges become opportunities to grow. This shows the core of our faith: that...
More >>

"Heartbeat" by Laura Leighe - Dancing in Worship

Here's a song that's more or less been stuck in my head since I heard it. It's called 'Heartbeat' by Laura Leighe and is what Laura calls a "reggaeton-influenced Christian pop duet" that's all about surrendering to God's rhythm and dancing in worship, no matter what life throws your way.  The lyrics remind me of two scriptures: "Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe."  - Psalm 150:4 (NIV) and "Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might."  - 2 Samuel 6:14 (NIV). Maybe I'm a bit prejudiced because the song reminds us of our own thoughts when we founded "Christian Dance" years ago and picked a name. Focusing on music that allows us to feel joy and causes us (our hearts) to dance for God, a pure form of worship that we know is pleasing to God. The lyrics are about surrendering our control and trusting in God's plan. Laura sings, "I bet you f...
More >>