Psalm 133: The Unity Song
For Meditation
When we imagine a long, difficult journey, we may think of the lonely adventurer, traveling through desolate territory as a solitary pilgrim. That vision draws from the myth of the rugged individualist, making his or her way through the world on their own. Yet as we near the end of the Psalms of Ascent, we see that one of the final psalms is a celebration of human community. This pilgrimage is not one of separate individuals, but people called together by the Lord to make their way to Zion together. They sing joyfully of how beautiful and wonderful it is when God’s people are called together in a common mission toward a common goal, in this case, to be in the presence of the Lord. There are no solitary Christians– to be in Christ means to be grafted into the community of his people, and to make the journey with others.
Yet being with others creates a problem. Human community is very difficult! We see from the very beginning of the Bible, community is marked by division, distrust and even murder (Genesis 3-4). In this season of unprecedented social and political division in our country, the vision of unity seems more elusive than ever. There is profound division everywhere, in society, in families, in churches. Is the “precious unity” that is praised in this Psalm just a pipe dream?
This week we’ll look deeply into this brief psalm, and try to understand through its wonderful imagery what is the meaning of biblical unity, why it’s so important, and how we can make steps to achieve it. To prepare for worship, try using this Psalm as a prayer guide. Pray through it line by line, verse by verse, pausing at each phrase and turning the words into a prayer for our church community.
Psalm 133
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.
Home Worship
Gather with others to lead your own worship service.
Outdoor Worship
Join us for a 9:00 a.m. Sunday service outside Third’s building.