During 2025, Peachtree Church is focusing on the Book of Psalms with a series called Dwell, through which we seek to deepen our conversation with God and open ourselves to hearing his response. The practice of praying three times each day will unite the voices of our hearts and souls as we seek the day when we will see the full realization of the Kingdom of God, promised in Revelation 21:3: “…Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
We will email devotionals twice weekly with Monday’s providing an overview of the Psalm as a whole, and Wednesday’s focused on that week’s Daily Dwell.
Psalm 133:1-3
“How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
life forevermore.”
Devotional
There are two unique metaphors used in Psalm 133 to support the main point of the Psalm: living together in unity. These metaphors are interesting for a modern reader and remind us that the Bible’s initial audience is somewhat different from ours, and that we are guests to the Scripture text.
The psalmist says that the picture of unity is like oil being poured down Aaron’s (Israel’s first high priest’s) beard, and coating his garment. The second metaphor is the dew from Mt. Hermon falling on Mt. Zion (read “Jerusalem”).
I’m not sure if these references would be offered if somebody described the concept of unity today. We might employ a favorite movie that reveals how people who had previously been at odds with one another miraculously come to terms with each other. I immediately think of Remember the Titans, which tells the story of a high school football team that found a way to get along with one another amid tremendous social pressures.
What seems to be familiar with the images from Psalm 133 is that something “from above” is given as a gift to something “below.” We notice the repetition of “down… down” in verse 2 and the “falls on” from verse 3. In short, the psalmist says that unity is a gift from above for those of us down below.
I think this is a good reminder for us. Although we can make every effort to dwell in unity with one another, we ask God to help us live in unity, recognizing that unity and peace are charisms, “grace gifts,” from “above.”
So, if any of us seek to have more peaceful families, work environments, or committees, let’s start with prayer and then follow God’s leading to build peaceful communities.
For Reflection
- Have you ever been on a unified team? What was so meaningful about your experience?
- Do you know someone who is a unifier? What gifts and habits do they have that aid the process of unifying a group?
- Have you experienced God’s unifying presence in a tense situation? How did you know it was God who intervened?
Prayer
Father, Son, and Spirit, we eagerly accept your gracious gift of unity and peace among us. Lord, we long to see the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer that believers might be one as God is one. As we enter potentially anxious settings today, help us to be reminded of who You are and who we are becoming because of Your presence among us.
We ask for Jesus’ sake, Amen.
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Devotionals