Psalm 133
This is a Song of Ascents – a song sung by people as they journeyed to Jerusalem to feast. The people enjoyed singing as they met together to worship God, just as those who go to the EMW Aber Conference or similar conferences, enjoy the fellowship. This psalm is a picture of people as they journeyed for days before they converged in Jerusalem. The church family came together; it was a time of great blessing.
This is what our daily journey is to be like. We are pilgrims heading towards the New Jerusalem, heaven. Lots of people are searching for this type of thing – they join a club with the desire to be united together. As Christians we are truly united as church family. David knew the importance of having a special relationship with his spiritual brothers. David and Jonathan had this special relationship and were united. But David made great mistakes. In David we see how good and pleasant it is when things work, but also we see trouble. This is what church life is like.
The first thing we are told in Psalm 133 is ‘Behold.’ It is an important word. We are to step back, look, take time to consider. ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!’ (Psalm 133:1). ‘Good’ is a fact and ‘pleasant’ a feeling. It stirs something in your heart. It’s a fact that the church is good, but we should also feel the wonder of fellowship, the wonder of new creation, a bond in the Holy Spirit.
Sadly, it is not always the case. We lose sight of the beauty that there is to be. In the early chapters of Acts (Acts 2:42) we see a wonderful church, where they shared things and enjoyed the teaching. Again we see this in Acts 4:32. Wonderful! This is what a church is to be. Sadly, it is not always like that. In Acts 5 we read of lying over money, and in Acts 6 of favouritism. So often in the life of the church there can be division – because of money or favouritism. How well do you actually get on together?
In John 17 Jesus talks to His disciples about what is important. They were just like us – wanting the most important positions. Jesus, at the end of His ministry, highlights the importance of unity. We are to have identifying marks – our love, our unity – we are one. This expresses God’s nature, love between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We’ve been drawn into the Trinity. This is God’s design. ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!’ (Psalm 133:1). It is essential we are a happy family. When people see a loving church, a sacrificial church, it is noticed. This is God’s way. But it is also noticed when churches act in a hypocritical way.
In this passage we’re given two illustrations to demonstrate unity. They may seem obscure today, but they are God-given. Firstly, ‘It is like a precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments (Psalm 133:2). This illustration comes from the world of theology, referring to the anointing of the high priest. Precious oil is used, it is valuable and set apart. When did you last have an induction or a baptism? We have special times in the life of the church. This is a picture of something special in church. We focus on Jesus Christ. We see Him at work. We are encouraged. Jesus is working today, extending His kingdom. God would have what we experience on those special days to be our everyday. We need to keep focused on what we’re about – getting the gospel out in our community.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit. We want to stimulate and maintain unity. He is the one who blesses us. Jesus Christ is now our High Priest. He has our names on His heart – it overflows down His garments onto us and we are blessed when we trust in Him and He is the centre of our lives. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus if we are to enjoy the blessing of the unity of God’s people, to be His family. Ultimately, it’s only those in His family who are blessed.
The second picture we get of unity is from the physical world, ‘It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing – life for evermore.’ (Psalm 133:3). This blessing is like dew. Here we see the physical landscape of Israel. If we get up early we see there is dew, even in hot weather. There is daily dew on the ground. In this verse there are two mountains mentioned: Hermon and Zion. Hermon, in the north, has an abundance of life, it is green and flows with a river and sends out blessings. Zion is in the south and is arid. IN the Old Testament it is where God had chosen for His name to dwell. The dew of Hermon descends on Zion. Jesus is the place of God’s blessing. He is like Mount Hermon, a place of dew, a place of blessing. God has given us life, In our arid lives, He sends the blessing down to fall on us so we are transformed from naturally being arid, lifeless and barren. We’ve been separated from God but Jesus brings the dew, the blessing.
Dew is quiet and unseen. Come to Jesus to receive life. It is wonderful. Then we can become those who disperse life to others, to dispel the oil on others. As we serve, we dispense the oil on new Christians. Be a gentle, quiet influence in the daily lives of one another. Let there be spiritual dew on people’s lives. Stir a desire in others to know more about Jesus.
Some people in church can be devisive, they don’t show love. Churches can be infiltrated by people who think they’re Christians but are not (Parable of the Sower). We need a loving influence in church.
‘For there the Lord commanded the blessing – life for evermore.’ (Psalm 133:3). Do you believe this? Do you believe John 17? God ‘commanded.’ It is in the past tense. We are a blessed family. This comes in many ways, one us the blessing of new life. Children are born, in the church new Christians are born-again. Church should be a maternity ward – new life being born the church. It should be on-going. Is our church a place where people are converted and growing?
Enjoy ‘life for evermore,’ looking to eternal things. It’s a picture of a wonderful family. All families, apart from this family, have deaths. But to die for a Christian is different. We live for evermore – fully perfected in our spirit and body. God desires that this blessing will come down to us. We must focus on the gospel, be gentle – just like dew. Do you believe in God’s design and the importance it can have? May He help us, may He stir us.
Penuel Baptist Chapel, Roch 