A Song of Ascents. Of David.
133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.
Psalm 133 NKJV - Blessed Unity of the People of God - A - Bible Gateway
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| photo by Unsplash |
For the new year, we can end all conflicts, miscommunications, strife, and unforgiveness. Charles Spurgeon said dwelling in unity was "the characteristic of real saints -- therefore fail not to inspect it!" (Spurgeon)
Let's dwell on Psalm 133, and, as God's Word always does, be equipped to dwell in unity.
The first verse is an exclamation, so often written in inversion -- dwelling in unity is so good and pleasant. (Sometimes switching the sentence placements around can give clarity.)
The descriptions good and pleasant are similar, but good is not the same thing as pleasant. Good here is geared toward what pleases God. Pleasant here, from the perspective of David, is what pleases God's children. They won't always work together. For example, it is good to serve in particular ministries, but it may not always seem pleasant, let's be honest. But in the act of dwelling in unity, it pleases God, and it pleases the church as well.
Then, two similes are offered. The best way to get to most meat out of a simile is to place your entire focus on the simile alone for a moment.
Simile #1: Precious Oil
What do we know -- if it's precious, it's favored and possibly difficult to come by. Oils also typically carry a nice fragrance.
Oil was used to anoint saints who were in God's favor and commissioned to live out God's will. The oil represented someone walking in holiness, such as Aaron, sanctified as a priest for God's truth and mercy. If the oil is "running down the edges of his garments," we can picture an abundance of oil. This much oil may represent overwhelmingly rich blessings, a cup running over.
Now, identify and pull the descriptions used to focus on oil:
precious, favored, difficult to come by, nice fragrance, walking in holiness, an abundance, overwhelmingly rich blessings, a cup running over, . . .
THESE things describe brethren dwelling together in unity! Take a look again at the descriptions. Don't we want these things in our lives?
Simile #2: The dew of Hermon
Mt. Hermon is a beautiful mountain range in northern Israel. From photos, the mountain peaks can be seen from a lengthy distance.
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| photo by Almog from Hebrew Wiki |
Mt. Hermon produces a considerable amount of dew, in contrast to the dry plains to the mountain's south. It's possible the dew was so great, it formed streams that trickled down below, refreshing the land around it. Dew is attributed to new mornings, new beginnings, new starts. Dew represents blessings a new day can bring; therefore, dew is a symbol for hope. We are replenished.
David continues the description: amidst this dew, God promised eternal life. The dew on Mt. Hermon is a sacred place.
Again, identify and pull out the descriptions used to focus on the dew of Mt. Hermon:
beautiful, refreshing, new beginnings, new starts, blessings, hope, replenishment, God's presence and promise, sacred, . . .
THESE things also described brethren dwelling together in unity. Take another look at these descriptions. Don't we want these things in our lives?
Similes, when we stop long enough to take them at their true worth, give exceptional depth to a biblical message.
For the new year, choose to dwell together in unity. You'll be replenished; God will be with you; it's a beautiful, precious blessing that gives us hope and a new beginning.
Happy New Year!