Psalm 133 Devotional

Psalm 133 NIV

A song of ascents. Of David. 1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

How beautiful are you?

Must first look at context

Why written?

This is a Psalm of Ascents…

Pilgrims would recite/sing these Psalms as they ascended into Jerusalem and ascended to the temple for worship.

There were 3 feasts that the men were required to attend at the Temple

Purpose? To remind the people what they were gathering for (worship) and that the unity that is accomplished in that endeavor is HOLY

Deuteronomy 16:16 NIV

16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed:

Exodus 23:14–16 NIV

14 “Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me. 15 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed. 16 “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. “Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.

Think of the times when you have gathered together with others for worship and the unity was WONDERFUL

Easter Sunday morning

Christmas services

Ordination services

General Assembly, District Assembly, or just a great Sunday morning worship service...

It often happened that those who attended worship at the temple in Passover would stay in Jerusalem until for 7 weeks until the Feats of Weeks.

The population of Jerusalem would swell.

People would cram into homes or wherever they could find to stay for those 7 weeks (sometimes a little longer depending on when they arrived for Passover).

With that in mind it has been suggested that this Psalm was written to reflect upon the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem when people would swell the city in order to worship.

Think about it… families were together, friends were together, old hurts were mended BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS UNITED AROUND WORSHIP!

It is unity of worship!!

Now, think about that unity. In the midst of the busy, hustle and bustle of life, people would travel to Jerusalem (often in groups) and worship.

Their UNITY centered around worship.

Their unity centered around what God HAD done, what God WAS doing, and what God WOULD do.

The people were united because of their worship of the God who had done great things for them. Their worship was a response to God’s goodness.

2 Images of unity

1) Unity is a sign of holiness!

Psalm 133:2 NIV

2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.

Verse 2 discusses the consecration of the priests

Exodus 29:21 NIV

21 And take some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.

Exodus 30:30–33 NIV

30 “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. 31 Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. 32 Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. 33 Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.’ ”

Consecration=set apart=sanctified=holy (Qodesh)

Consecration makes us PERFECT( in the definition and idea that we live up to our intended purpose that God created us for) as we are SET APART from the normal. To take something that is set apart and use it again for its “normal” purpose would be to profane what is holy...

According to Jesus Perfection is seen in love. Love is seen in our unity!

Matthew 5:43–48 NIV

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Also, OIL was used as an ointment, a salve. This is where the word SALVATION is derived - from the healing ointment.

The image of the consecration of the priests can blur into the image of someone receiving salvation.

When their is unity, it provides healing, it produces change, it shows the world God’s plan...

I can imagine people who once were upset with each other mending their broken relationships during this season of unity in worship… HEALING!

2) But there is another image given of unity...

The image of Mount Hermon

Psalm 133:3 NIV

3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Mount Hermon is thought to be a great mountain and Canaanite place of worship

Although it is a tall mountain, taller than Mount Zion/Jerusalem is not as great in significance as Mount Zion… Mount Hermon and Mount Zion are 200 miles (about 322 kilometers) apart.

The dew (blessing) from Mount Hermon comes to Mount Zion?

Mount Zion is the mount of God, blessing, promise.

Even though it is smaller it is more significant and it is blessed as the figurative dew makes a 200 mile trip from Mount Hermon to Mount Zion where life can benefit from it.

Dew is a reminder of God’s blessings everyday

Dew is a reminder of how God takes care of the lilies of the field every morning

Dew is a reminder of the life that God grants us.

There might be other things that seem more significant than unity

Like Mount Hermon compared to Mount Zion those other things are less promising, less blessed, less sanctified, and less important than the blessing that God wishes for us to experience in unity

**Simply stated, when we are united we reflect God, we demonstrate holiness, we provide healing for broken relationships, and the world is blessed...

How Beautiful are you?

It is no wonder Jesus prayed for his followers to be united...

John 17:20–23 NIV

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

God is seen in our unity for our unity is a characteristic of God

Think Tri-unity (3 yet 1)

John 17:22 NIV

22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—

John 1:1 NIV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Philippians 2:6 NIV

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

John 14:16 NIV

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—

“Another” = another of the same quality/characteristics

We were made for community!

Made in God’s image/likeness.

God is in community.

Also, it was not good for us to be alone (Genesis 2:18).

We need community.

According to the dictionary, Community is “A unified body of individuals”

So, What is unity?

Webster’s dictionary says “the quality or state of being made one”

Unity 1st requires individuals with their own backgrounds/personalities/ideas but coming together for a specific purpose where the goal / purpose is the same.

Each part still maintains its individuality and original purpose but when united a greater purpose can be accomplished!

Unity is a singleness of purpose.

Unity does NOT meant 100% agreement on everything. It does however mean that we are united on the major things - in this case in worship. And, when we are united in worship we become united in purpose!

Jesus was teaching and said

Matthew 5:23–24 NIV

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

When there is a break in our unity we must repair it

This is during an image of worship just like Psalm 133

Jesus did not say that we should only go and restore unity if we are the one with the problem. If we know that someone has something against us we must go to them and reconcile so that our worship will be purposeful and united.

We must be united and we must make reconciliation if our unity has been torn apart

Are we beautiful? Are we united? Do we have a common purpose? Is our worship acceptable to God because it is done in unity?

**Simply stated, when we are united we reflect God, we demonstrate holiness, we provide healing for broken relationships, and the world is blessed...

How Beautiful are you?