Psalm 133: Blessed Unity
THINK ABOUT THE many brother-to-brother and sister-to-sister loyalties and rivalries that are celebrated in our society— fraternities and sororities, sports teams, family corporations, class reunions, the Mafia (that is, "the Brotherhood"). In your mind's eye, or from your own experience, how do you picture those relationships? Do you envision any fraternal unity so blessed that it fairly oozes and drips with sweetness? David does. He waxes eloquent on this theme. Many contemporary songs which extol the blessedness of "mystic sweet communion" are based, in part, on this psalm.
Warming Up to God
How does the "mystic sweet communion" enjoyed by God's people compare to the kinds of unity that you have witnessed or experienced firsthand with others? As you get into this brief Bible study, surround yourself with images of the warm Christian fellowship.
Read Psalm 133. »
Discovering the Word
- What is so good or pleasant or blessed about brothers living together in unity (v. 1)?
- To what is this blessedness compared (vv. 2-3)?
- If the oil of anointing that saturated Aaron's beard and priestly robes was so precious and sanctifying (v. 2; Ex 29:7; Lev 21:10), what does that say about harmony running its course through the fellowship of God's people?
- Mount Hermon rises 9,000 feet at three snow- covered peaks, its many glaciers stretching across 20 miles in northern Israel, watering the Jordan River valleys and cities below. However, during the summer, its snow and glaciers produce a heavy dew that envelops Mount Hermon, leaving much of the surroundings arid. For the "dew of Hermon" to fall on Mount Zion (v. 3) would be most unusual. What does that say about the blessing of brotherly unity?
Applying the Word
- What does this psalm say to those who know only the brotherhood and sisterhood as it is portrayed in the media (consider fraternity hazing, sports teams that brawl, family corporations divided by sibling rivalry)?
- Where are you experiencing strong brother-to-brother or sister-to-sister bonds and blessings that sanctify and sustain God's people, as does "oil" and "dew"?
- In what way could you experience more of the priestly "oil" and Mount Hermon's "dew"?
Responding in Prayer
Think about the spiritual refreshment and moral accountability that strong fellowship provides you. Thank God for the brothers and sisters he has given you to sanctify and sustain you. Consider ways that you can live in harmony with your family of faith, and pray toward that end.
For Further Study
The Message of Psalms 73 - 150 by Michael Wilcock