Psalms Reading – 5.4.2022
Psalm 133
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.
Psalm 134
A song of ascents.
1 Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.
3 May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.
In Psalm 133, we shout a resounding Amen to David’s word of how beautiful it is when the people of God are getting along and living in harmony. Their pilgrimage was not an individualistic act of piety but expresses solidarity with the larger body of God’s people. The same is true for our journey in Christian discipleship where we are expected to do so in relationship with the Body of Christ.
David uses imagery that we might not resonate with, but his initial audience would have appreciated and understood. The precious oil poured was to set apart Aaron and all priests to be consecrated for their holy service. So, unity sets apart God’s people to lovingly serve Him and is a powerful witness to those outside the community.
Such unity is like the dew that brings life as it provided moisture for crops in a region where it did not rain for much of the year. Hermon is a snow-capped mountain peak in the far northeast of Israel. Its dew is particularly dense because of the air’s moisture in contrast to the air around Jerusalem that is often dry. The dew of Hermon falling on Mount Zion is a sign of God’s richest blessings coming upon God’s people who are united together in worship.
Psalm 134 is the final psalm in the songs of ascents. It concludes the section by encouraging those who serve in the temple to keep on praising the Lord through the night after the worshipers have gone home. I love the thought that although the gathered people of God must eventually leave the temple, the Lord’s praise continues throughout the night.
The psalm concludes with the central theme in these songs of ascents. God’s blessing comes from Zion because that is where He was to be found. The One who created the universe could be found in Jerusalem, and from there He would freely shower His blessings upon all who would exuberantly worship Him.
As believers in Jesus who inhabit the Holy Spirit, we are Zion! God brings His blessings into our lives whereever we are.
Memory Verse: Psalm 133:1, How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
Question(s) to Consider: What contemporary imagery would you use to picture the unity of believers in the Body of Christ? Can you picture yourself as Zion, where you continually offer praise to God, and receive His many benefits?