The blessing of unity

Introduction

This Psalm was penned by King David and was often sung at the time of festivals, when worshipers would gather in Jerusalem.

It highlights a very important principle that is often found in Scripture. Which is God blesses his people when they are united. This can be stated negatively by saying, where there is division among the people of God, there God refuses to bless. Unity in the church pleases God, but division grieves him.

The church obviously longs for God’s blessing. We want to see people coming to know Christ, we want to know God in a deeper way, here we learn what it is that will cause God to bless his people.

I. Blessedness of unity

The Psalm begins by saying

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

King David calls the attention of the one singing the psalm with the word behold. He is calling people to gaze upon something that is good and pleasant. That something is the unity of God’s people.

You can sense his emphasis upon how wonderful unity is by the fact he uses the word how twice, and he uses two adjectives to describe unity.

How good and how pleasant.

The importance and greatness of unity among believers is acknowledged a lot through out scripture.

For example, Unity among believers is one way we show ourselves to be disciples of Jesus. The Lord said in John 13:35 “ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Another example, is when There were divisions among the believers in Corinth and you can sense the grief of the Apostle Paul when he wrote “10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

He pleaded with them in the name of Christ to be united and not divided.

We know ourselves from experience when we hear of churches that have splits it grieves us, we know this is not how it should be. When we hear of churches that are united it causes joy.

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

After David describes the blessedness of unity. He goes on with his description by using two similies to further emphasise how wonderful unity is.

II. Two similitudes

Both of these similies show that the blessing of unity among believers affects and impacts everything they do. Both pictures show the blessing spreading from one thing to another.

The first similie that David uses is found in v.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.”

In v.2 David uses the picture of Aaron the highpriest being anointed with oil when he was consecrated before the LORD by Moses. The anointing oil was only meant to be poured on the head, but the fact is that it inevitably spread. It ran down to his beard and even the edges of his garments.

This is like the goodness and pleasure of unity, it permeates everything. Everything is affected. In an assemlby of believers unity affects and brings blessing to everything they do.

The second similie communicates the same truth.

v.3 says

“3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion;”

Here we have a picture of the dew that would fall first upon the highest mountain in Israel, Mt. Hermon, then falling upon Mt. Zion also.

Just as the thick dew falls first upon Hermon so it spreads and descends upon Mt. Zion too.

This is what unity is like. The blessedness of unity affects everything.

It could also be said that division does the same, but in a way that destroys instead of blesses.

David continues in his description of the blessedness of unity among believers at the end of v.3 by describing the outcome of such unity.

III. The result of unity

Look at the end of v.3

“For there the LORD commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.”

David is saying that where the unity was among believers there God commanded his blessing. What was his blessing, life forevermore. Or as some translations put it eternal life.

We know this fact is true when we turn to the book of Acts in the New Testament. In the book of Acts it is thrilling to read about thousands of people being saved all at once. The church being blessed and built up in their faith. The church in Acts is the kind of church that we should want to be part of today.

When you read the book of Acts one point stands out again and again. See if you can spot it.

In Acts 1:14 Jesus had just ascended to heaven, they are about to choose another disciple to replace Judas and the Holy Spirit is about to come on the day of Pentecost. Acts 1:14 says These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Again in Acts chapter 2 we have the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends upon the church. Acts 2:1 says “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”

Our final example is again found in Acts chapter 2. 3000 souls have just been saved, the Apostles are doing great signs and wonders, the church is being blessed by God. Acts 2:46 says “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people.”

The point that stands out in all of these verses is the fact that they were all of one accord. They were united. There was unity among the believers, and God was blessing them.

Conclusion

The blessedness of unity. In this psalm David highlights the teaching found throughout the scriptures. The Lord blesses his peolpe when they are united. This could be stated negatively by saying the Lord does not bless his people where there is division and disunity.

The question that this presents to every believer is are we seeking unity. As a body of believers are we seeking to be united. Are we putting others before ourselves? Are we humble? Are we willing to forgive when wronged so that we can preserve unity in the church?

Do we forgive those who do us wrong, so that there are no divisions among us?

As a fellowship are we united?

Of course as the Lord’s people we want to see the Lord’s blessing upon our evangelism, the preaching of his word. We want to see sinners saved and the Lord’s people built up in their faith. These are blessings that only God can bring, and here we learn that it is where the Lord’s people are united that the Lord commands the blessing.

Maybe there is disunity among believers at the moment. Maybe you need to forgive someone, maybe you need to apologise to someone.

Whatever it may be, let us both pray for unity among us and let us fervetly seek it, so that we many know the Lord’s blessing in these days.