Psalm 133:1 (ESV) "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!"
If there is one thing that King David understood throughout his life, it was the profound impact of disunity. Disunity plagued David both personally and within his kingdom. The scars of fractured relationships and broken loyalties marked his reign, serving as painful reminders of humanity's tendency to drift toward division and strife.
David experienced the devastating heartbreak of disunity when his own son Absalom attempted to revolt and seize his kingdom. In those dark moments, David watched as some he thought were closest to him rejected him, while those from whom he had no expectation of loyalty expressed a level of devotion that was nothing short of shocking. The contrast was stark: Ittai the Gittite, a Gentile foreigner, swore unwavering loyalty to David, while David's own people, including his own flesh and blood, rejected him (2 Samuel 15:13-22). This personal betrayal taught David something significant about the potential for unity: it can transcend blood relations, ethnic boundaries, and human expectations.
From these painful experiences emerged David's deep longing for unity. This desire seeps through every word of Psalm 133, revealing a heart that had been broken by division and now yearned for the healing balm of restoration and peace.
The Radical Call to Unity Among God's People
The birthplace of Psalm 133 was David’s personal tragedy, but the life of Psalm 133 would be embodied as a song of Ascent that the people of Israel would sing as they went on pilgrimage from their homes (spread out amongst the nations) to the temple in Jerusalem to worship. Consider the experience of the Israelites during these moments of pilgrimage to Jerusalem: twelve different tribes filled with diverse people from various places, each carrying their own stories, struggles, and cultural distinctives, coming together on a common journey to worship the one true God of heaven and earth. As these pilgrims gathered from across the nation, they were called to remember and embody the unity they possessed in God as His chosen family. The phrase "when brothers dwell in unity" (Psalm 133:1b) connects directly to Deuteronomy 25:5, which refers to family members living in close proximity to one another. However, the biblical concept extends far beyond mere blood relations or geographical closeness.
This unity encompassed even those who might have been at odds with one another—people who owed debts, those involved in disputes, individuals who had offended each other (Deuteronomy 15:3, 12; 25:3). The radical nature of this calling becomes clear: even these people, despite their conflicts and grievances, were called to function as a unified family. This was not a superficial peace or mere tolerance, but a deep, abiding unity that transcended human differences and disagreements.
The Imagery of Oil and Dew
But how is such unity achieved? Our natural human tendency leads us to believe we must manufacture this unity through our own strength, willpower, or clever strategies. We attempt to force harmony through rules, regulations, or sheer determination. However, Psalm 133:2-3 provides us with a stunning theological insight that challenges this assumption entirely. Notice carefully the consistent direction of movement in David's imagery: the oil "descends" in verse 2a and "descends" again in verse 2b. Then, once more in verse 3a, we observe the dew "falling" from Mount Hermon onto Mount Zion.
The imagery is both beautiful and theologically rich. The reference to oil takes us back to the sacred anointing ceremonies of Israel's high priests (Exodus 29:7, 21; 30:22-33; Leviticus 8:2,12). In these holy moments, oil was literally poured upon the high priest's head, flowing down through his beard and onto his garments, covering his entire person. Oil frequently represented the gift of the Spirit throughout Scripture, and in this particular instance, it symbolized the unifying of Aaron's different parts, his head, beard, and clothes, into one cohesive, consecrated whole.
The second image involves Mount Hermon, Israel's highest peak and the only mountain crowned with perpetual snow. From this lofty summit, dew would descend and fall upon Mount Zion, bringing life-giving moisture to the holy city below. Both images share a crucial common element: the movement is always downward, always from above.1
This imagery teaches us a fundamental theological truth: authentic unity is not a human achievement but a divine gift that flows down from God Himself. Godly unity cannot be manufactured, contrived, or forced through human effort alone—it must be received as a blessing freely given by the One who is Himself the source and model of perfect unity. Just as the ancient Israelites discovered their unity in their covenant relationship with God, believers today find true unity in Christ, who serves as both the foundation and the facilitator of genuine Christian fellowship.
The Ultimate Model of Perfect Unity
When we examine the character and nature of God more closely, we discover the ultimate and perfect picture of unity in the Trinity itself. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit represent divine diversity yet perfect unity, demonstrating that true oneness does not eliminate distinctions but harmonizes them in love. The Godhead models for us what unity looks like: distinct persons sharing one essence, different roles serving one purpose, individual personalities expressing one perfect love.
One of the most practical ways we experience this divine unity is by continually striving to live in a manner that resembles the One who makes unity possible: Jesus Christ. When we pursue Christ-likeness and experience genuine Christian unity, we also taste the fruit that flows from such harmony. We experience both pleasure and joy, the deep, abiding satisfaction that comes from participating in something greater than ourselves. Even more remarkably, we step into the type of sacred pleasure that is modeled in the perfect relationship within the Trinity itself. This is precisely what Jesus calls us to in His high priestly prayer: "that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:21).
In our fractured world, marked by division and discord, the church's call to unity becomes both more challenging and more essential than ever. As we embrace this divine gift of unity that flows down from our Trinitarian God, we bear witness to a watching world that there is indeed something good and pleasant about dwelling together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
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There is also an interesting detail about Mt. Hermon as this was the location of the rebellion of the Sons of God in Genesis 6 according to the Book of Enoch. With that in mind there seems to be an intentional reversal of rebellion to renewal and restoration. The very thing that David.