Psalm 133:1 - The Blessings of Unity.
Psalm 133:1 - The Blessings of Unity.
Psalm 133:1 (NKJV) Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for
brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1 (CWR) How good and pleasant it is for God's people
to live together in unity.
Psalm 133 - The Lord Blesses His Children Living in Unity.
Psalm 133 is one of four songs of ascent attributed to David
(see Ps. 122; 124; 131). With its emphasis on the unity of the
believers, this poem anticipates Jesus' prayer in John 17. The structure of
the psalm is as follows: (1) a portrait of the beauty of unity (v.
1); (2) the blessing of unity (vv. 2, 3). [Nelson SB]
Unity of the brethren is pictured as being as precious as the
oil of priestly consecration and as refreshing as the early mountain
dew. [Ryrie SB]
Unity. Crucial quality of God's people (John 17:11, 21), an
agreement on the principles and purposes of life which makes relationships
harmonious, lasting, and pleasant. People living in unity are committed and
faithful to the cause and to each other. Outward unity is a manifestation
of the inward unity. True unity is refreshing like dew, and such
community God blesses (v. 3). [Andrews SB]
It is the will of God that union and brotherly love should exist
among His people... While we are not to sacrifice one principle of
truth, it should be our constant aim to reach this state of unity. This
is the evidence of our discipleship. Said Jesus, "By this shall all
men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another."
John 13:35. {PP 520}
It is one thing for a group of people to journey together to
Jerusalem for a feast and quite something else for them to live together
day after day. Abraham and Lot, Isaac and his family, Jacob and
Laban, and Joseph's brothers remind us that brethren do not always
dwell together in unity.
Unity must come down from above, like the oil running down
Aaron's beard and bathing the twelve jewels on the breastplate (Exod.
29:5-7), or like the dew descending on the mountains. You can manufacture
uniformity by manipulating people and exerting pressure, but true unity can
come only from God by His Spirit.
Unity is good like the dew and produces fruitfulness. It is
pleasant like the oil and produces a lovely fragrance. Divisions among
God's people produce opposite results. Have you heeded the admonition
of Ephesians 4:1-6? [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren
Wiersbe]
David stated that unity is pleasant and precious. Unfortunately,
unity does not abound in the church as it should. People disagree and
cause division over unimportant issues. Some delight in causing
tension by discrediting others. Unity is important because (1) it makes
the church a positive example to the world and helps draw others to
us; (2) it helps us cooperate as a body of believers as God meant us
to, giving us a foretaste of heaven; (3) it renews and revitalizes
ministry because there is less tension to sap our energy. [Life
Application SB]
Living in unity does not mean that we will agree on everything;
there will be many opinions just as there are many notes in a musical
chord. But we must agree on our purpose in life--to work together for
God. Our outward expression of unity will reflect our inward unity of
purpose. [Life Application SB]
The excellency of brotherly love... It is good for us, for our
honour and comfort; and brings constant delight to those who live in
unity. The pleasantness of this is likened to the holy anointing oil.
This is the fruit of the Spirit, the proof of our union with Christ,
and adorns his gospel. It is profitable as well as pleasing; it
brings blessings numerous as the drops of dew. It cools the scorching
heat of men's passions, as the dews cool the air and refresh the
earth. It moistens the heart, and makes it fit to receive the good seed
of the word, and to make it fruitful. [Matthew Henry Commentary]
The early church was dedicated to being together. They learned
together, spent free time together, ate together and prayed together. The
church is meant to be the place where we find true friends. We are not
to hide in the church. But we are to look for, and make, our
friends there. The early church was under intense persecution from the
pagans surrounding them. It was a hostile environment. In the United
States we are not directly persecuted. But there is another kind of
attack. Business demands all our attention and the pace of life is very
fast. When we do have free time we want to horde it; some of us hide.
This kind of situation fragments and weakens the church. Consider the
early church and what God accomplished through it; consider your
church today, its people and your place in it. Make it the place where
you forge your friendships and not just another place to avoid.
Great things for God are accomplished together, not apart! [In His
Time; Walk With Wisdom]
God has designed His kingdom so that Christians with kindred
spirits join together. It is exciting when you find another Christian
who shares the same concerns and burdens that you do! Often, God
will graciously bring another believer alongside you who will
undergird you in the work and concerns God has placed on your heart.
God releases a powerful dimension of His presence to His
children when they unite in heart and mind regarding His kingdom. The
Bible says that when two or more Christians meet and reverently
discuss matters concerning the Lord, God is pleased to listen to them
and to respond to their concerns. When two or three believers agree
in prayer, God chooses to respond to their unity by making His
powerful presence known in their midst (Mt 18:19-20). When two people
walked together and discussed the confusing events of Christ's
crucifixion, Jesus joined them and helped them understand the events of their
day (Lu 24:13-32).
If you are carrying concerns about your family or your church
or your friends, ask God to bring like-minded believers around you
to share the burden with you in conversation and in prayer. Don't
attempt to bear your load of cares on your own. You may pray about them,
but you will miss the blessing of uniting together with a group of
believers who join together to intercede for one another and to enjoy
God's presence. Everything God has woven into the fabric of His
kingdom promotes interdependence, not individualism. As you face your
concerns, deliberately seek out other believers with whom you can stand
and share your load. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and
Richard Blackaby re Mal. 3:16]
In Dakota, Kathleen Norris writes: "A Benedictine sister from
the Philippines once told me what her community did when some
sisters took to the streets in the popular revolt against the Marcos
regime. Some did not think it proper for nuns to demonstrate in public,
let alone risk arrest. In a group meeting that began and ended with
prayer, the sisters who wished to continue demonstrating explained that
this was for them a religious obligation; those who disapproved also
had their say. Everyone spoke; everyone heard and gave counsel.
"It was eventually decided that the nuns who were
demonstrating should continue to do so; those who wished to express solidarity
but were unable to march would prepare food and provide medical
assistance to the demonstrators, and those who disapproved would pray for
everyone. The sisters laughed and said, 'If one of the conservative
sisters was praying that we young, crazy ones would come to our senses
and stay off the streets, that was okay. We were still a
community."
God calls some to action, others to support, and still others
to pray. Each will be doing what is "right" in His eyes if they
obey His call! [God's Little Devotional Bible re 1Jo.2:29]
We don't have to look far to find examples of unity and its
benefits. Any choir, sports team, play, or family will work far better if
there's unity among its members. What area of your life depends on
unity?
When we have to work with others, sometimes it helps to be
reminded of the value of unity. Psalm 133 is just such a reminder-check
it out...
David described unity as pleasant and precious (Psalm
133:1-3). Unfortunately, unity does not come without effort-in fact, it
costs a great deal. We naturally disagree and divide ranks, usually
over issues that matter, but just as often over unimportant ones,
too. It takes work to overcome this nature. Yet unity is important
enough to work at making this change for several reasons: (1) It makes
God's people a positive example and helps draw others to him. (2) It
helps us cooperate as God meant us to, giving us a foretaste of
heaven. (3) It renews and revitalizes ministry because there is less
tension to sap our energy.
Living in unity does not mean that God's people have to agree
on everything. But we must agree on the issue that matters most-our
ultimate purpose in life-loving God and one another. [The One Year
Through the Bible Devotional by Dave Veerman re Psalm 133]
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Grace Notes: http://www.e-gracenotes.org/index.php
Excellent Spiritual Resource Site:
http://www.christianlifemediacenter.com/
More Spiritual Resources: http://www.aBible.com
TWO INCREDIBLE TESTIMONIES:
Finding God in a Prison Cell:
http://www.itiswritten.com/television#episodes/1212
With Christ in the Desert:
http://www.itiswritten.com/television#episodes/1211
