1Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
2It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
3It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the LORD has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
Psalm 133 (ESV), A Song of Ascents. Of David.
If sin is, as Cornelius Plantinga defines it, “the vandalism of Shalom,” then this tiny psalm highlights a massive mark of godliness that’s the very opposite: “brothers” or “kindred” dwelling together in unity.
Unity is a “precious” and beautiful thing like the blue hydrangeas or yellow marigolds in my backyard. We might go for a walk with our children or grandchildren and along the way take in some of the rich, colorful flowers in our neighbor’s yards. Toddlers especially often want to pick them, but we gently distract or redirect, teaching them over time that this kind of exquisiteness (especially in our neighbor’s yards!) is to be admired, treasured, and preserved. In the same way, unity is a precious freshness we must all learn to protect and enjoy.
As one of the Psalms of Ascent, the context of this ancient poem is a national gathering of individual families coming together as one big family for spiritual celebration. You might think of it like an enjoyable church experience or a God-focused national holiday like Thanksgiving. And though feasting was usually involved, they were gathered for the corporate worship of Jehovah, the Sovereign God of the Universe (that’s what it means when LORD is capitalized).
Unlike some church or holiday get-togethers which are far from enjoyable, what the psalmist describes here was a “pleasant” experience and unity was at the center of that pleasantness.
We’ve all experienced how unpleasant disunity can be but, according to our passage, why is unity such a precious gift?
- Unity evidences God’s presence and special attention. (2) In the Old Testament, oil symbolized a lot of things: joy, fragrance, comfort, and especially in a priestly context setting something apart for special attention. Here the overflowing affection experienced at such gatherings when individuals came out of isolation and joined together is likened to the oil of Aaron’s priestly consecration (Ex.29:7; 30:22-30). In this kind of anointing ceremony, oil would flow down on the priest’s shoulders and onto his breastplate (see above) which included the names of the twelve tribes. The smell of the oil would then fill up the senses of everyone around. To feel something of what they might have experienced, think of the classic lyrics to John Denver’s “Annie’s Song”: “You fill up my senses like a night in the forest, like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain, like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean…” Indeed, similar to the heavens that “declare the glory of God” (Psa. 19:1), unity is a “precious,” lavish experience that fills one with a deep sense of God’s presence.
- Unity brings spiritual refreshment. (3a) When I was a youth pastor, I used to include a trick question on a Christmas quiz I gave out during the holidays: Was there snow on the first Christmas? The choices included “nowhere in Israel” and “somewhere in Israel.” The correct answer was the latter as Mt. Hermon is snow-covered (see below). Not surprisingly, most got it wrong! You wouldn’t think that in such a “deserty,” arid climate, just 70 miles from “the mountains of Zion,” that snow would be in the mix, making the dew from Mount Hermon all the more plentiful… and significant for, practically, it brought freshness and vitality to some very dry places.
What about you? Does your life bring a lavish sense of God’s presence to your family and other communities you’re part of? Are you someone who brings freshness and vitality to dry places?
For group discussion: How do we cultivate and protect unity in our marriages, families, workplaces, and churches?
May God help each one of us to bring more of His pleasantness to the lives of those we touch this week.