Good and Pleasant

Introduction

The psalm is one of the fifteen “Songs of Ascents” Psalms 120–134

The Israelite pilgrims would rehearse as they ascended the landscape to Jerusalem for three annual feasts. Deuteronomy 16:16

Here is a celebration of the blessings of covenant fellowship seen in the unity of brothers

Basic Outline

I. The psalmist expresses the appropriateness and the delight of brothers’ dwelling together (1).

II. The psalmist compares their dwelling together to the anointing oil of the priests and the dew of Mount Hermon (2–3a).

A. It is like the anointing oil that flows down from the priest’s head to his beard to his collar (2).

B. It is like the dew of Mount Hermon falling on Zion (3a).

III. The psalmist emphasizes that Zion is where the LORD bestows the blessing of life (3b).

Psalm 133 (KJV)

A Song of degrees of David.

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Story written by Scott Pauley

John Fawcett was born on January 6th, 1740. He grew up in a poor family in Yorkshire, England. Fawcett, orphaned at 12, was “bound out” to a tailor in Bradford, where he worked long hours. He learned to read and eventually mastered Pilgrim’s Progress, the devotional classic by John Bunyan. Fawcett was converted at age 16 under the ministry of George Whitefield. The evangelist passed through Bradford in 1755 and spoke from John 3:14. Fawcett later recalled, “As long as life remains, I shall remember both the text and the sermon.” He first joined the Methodists, but three years later began attending the Baptist Church in Bradford, England. Upon telling Whitefield he wanted to preach, the evangelist gave Fawcett his blessing.  He was ordained a Baptist minister at Wainsgate, Yorkshire.

John was asked to serve as the pastor of a small church in Wainsgate, at age 25. This describes Fawcett’s congregation at Wainsgate: “The people were all farmers and shepherds, poor as Job’s turkey; an uncouth lot whose speech one could hardly understand, unable to read or write; most of them pagans cursed with vice and ignorance and wild tempers.” The Established Church had never touched them; only the humble Baptists had sent an itinerant preacher there and he had made a good beginning. They were not able to pay much, and most of what John received as wages came in the form of wool, potatoes or other produce. When John and Mary began having children they found it difficult to make ends meet.

After serving at Wainsgate for 7 years, his reputation as a preacher grew to the extent that he was invited to substitute for the ailing pastor Dr. John Gill at Carter Lane Baptist Church in London. Upon Gill’s death, Fawcett was offered the position. The church was a very large and prestigious church in London that would be able to provide him a much larger salary.

The Fawcett family packed their household belongings and prepared to move. The day came and the congregation was in tears as John and Mary prepared to leave. Mary is quoted as saying, “I can’t stand it, John! I know not how to go.” John responded, “Lord help me Mary, nor can I stand it! We will unload the wagon!” And John is recorded to have said to the crowd gathered around them, “We’ve changed our minds! We are going to stay!” John and Mary unpacked the wagon and let the church in London know that they would not be accepting the position.

Fawcett then wrote this hymn to express his thoughts to the poor people with whom they had chosen to live and serve. The following Sunday, after their decision to remain at Wainsgate, John Fawcett preached from Luke 12:15, “A man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things he possesses.”  He closed his sermon by reading the text of his new song Blest Be the Tie that Binds.

Fawcett’s own ministry continued to thrive. In 1777, a new chapel was built for him in nearby Hebden Bridge. He developed a ministry academy there and trained a new generation of pastors. His influence lasts through his support of the spread of the gospel, his voice in Christian congregational song, and his efforts in training the generation of pastors that would follow him.

John and Mary continued their ministry at Wainsgate for 54 years. Their salary was estimated to never be more than approximately £25 pounds ($200.00) per year. He lost his son Stephen to smallpox in 1774, his mother in 1782, and his daughter Sarah in 1785. These losses made Fawcett a more endearing pastor. In Fawcett, this “long-continued and heavy domestic affliction” brought about “the tenderest sympathy” towards those in his congregation who were also afflicted.

In 1811, Fawcett published his Devotional Commentary on the Holy Scriptures and was also honored with a Doctor of Divinity degree from Brown University, Providence, R.I.

Fawcett was the author of a number of religious poetry works, several of which attained a large circulation. Among John’s noteworthy writings was an essay titled, “Anger.” It became a favorite of King George III. It is said that the King offered John any gift or favor he desired.  But John declined the offer with this statement: “I have lived among my own people, enjoying their love; God has blessed my labors among them, and I need nothing which even a king could supply.” Such was the heart and soul of the man who wrote these loving words. John Fawcett passed from this life on July 25th, 1817, at the age of 77.

1. Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts is Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above.

2. Before our Father’s throne We pour our ardent prayers Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one Our comforts and our cares.

3. We share each other’s woes, Our mutual burdens bear And often for each other flows The sympathizing tear.

4. When we asunder past It gives us inward pain, But we shall still be joined in heart, And hope to meet again…

It is fitting and pleasing for brothers to dwell together

Psalm 133:1 “1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Goodness what ought to be.

Pleasant what we want.

Somethings are good but not pleasant. Others may seem pleasant but are not good.

Our duty and delight, our job and our joy.

Unity is more than being in the same location

Psalm 135:3 “3 Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: Sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.”

Dwelling together

First use of the word. Gen 13:6 “6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.”

They would do this to defend the family interests and ensure its future. / think extended like, the “like family portion” of our lives

Also seen in having a meal to gether. Judges 19:6 “6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel’s father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.”

Not in tents in truth.

Not surrounding a camp but in Christ.

What do we mean by “covenant fellowship”

Unity is rooted in the goodness and praise of God!

“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?” - AW Tozer

Unity comes in the church, not as we pursue it but as we pursue God together.

[Pianos] are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become “unity” conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. (90) - Tozer

FCA. Let’s all say out name and postion in sports. Now lets say JESUS

Unity is a blessing that flows from God

Psalm 133:2 “2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, That ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: That went down to the skirts of his garments;”

It is like the anointing oil for the priests

The psalmist first compares the people’s dwelling together to the oil that was used to anoint the priest, Aaron.

The anointing oil was a special oil prepared for sanctuary use. Exodus 30:23–32 (us bearded me when this every morning)

The ceremony of anointing recalls the wilderness experience described in Leviticus 8:1-3 “1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; 3 And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”

Ran Down

Unity among brothers, then, according to the simile, is from God and sets their relationship apart as spiritual and useful to God.

More than we could ever deserve.

It is excessive; head, beard, collar.

Not negative or messy but abundant.

The unity of the people was a blessing that came down from heaven and was all-encompassing.

Experienced the love and fellowship of the church as a teenager in such a way that life without would feel so very cold. I got used to the warmth of real, Christian fellowship at the Hensons.

Like of the Dew of Hermon

Psalm 133:3 “3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: For there the Lord commanded the blessing, Even life for evermore.”

Life-Giving

Mount Hermon was the highest mountain in Israel. Its dew and gentle rains kept the hills alive with moisture.

120 miles to the south is Jerusalem, the city of David, the holy place where people met God in his tabernacle.

Unity among brothers is like the life-giving dew of Hermon settling on Zion.

Why? Because the Lord has established the fact that God has established this to be true.

The LORD commanded the blessing

Psalm 133:3 “3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

The psalm has made a transition from the simple idea of people dwelling together to the sanctuary where the blessings are bestowed.

The whole idea of this blessing harmonizes with the emphasis on their dwelling together in their lands.

Community is praiseworthy, but dependent on the LORD. - Derik Kidner

Football on Tuesday night. Fellowship between believers, good and pleasant.

Want to hear more about the dew that has descended upon us?

Ephesians 2:13–18 (KJV 1900)

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

The death of the cross brought peace with God and allows for a unity among those of us who have access to the Father by His death

We are brothers and sisters who gather not to a single appointed temple but rally to a single anointed person, dwelling together with each other as we draw closer to him.

Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts is Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above.