Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
– Psalm 133:1–3
What a great Psalm, and what an appropriate Psalm. I think about this short prayer, based on Psalm 133, coming out on a day in my country, in the United States, where we vote on a president. And the likelihood is my country will be split right down the middle. Totally divided. And not just totally, but in many senses bitterly divided. And here’s God saying, “Things are different among my people, where it is good and pleasant to see brothers and sisters dwelling together in unity.” Good and pleasant.
Psalm 133:1–3 encourages us to pursue unity in Christ.
So it’s good, it’s right, which means this is something we ought to pursue. And it’s pleasant, which means this is something we want to pursue. This kind of unity is good, meaning it’s something God requires. And it’s pleasant, which means it’s something we desire. But how is that possible, to experience this kind of good and pleasant unity?
And that’s where verse two comes in. Because out of all the pictures, this Psalm could compare unity to. Like trees in a forest, stars in the sky, or fish in the ocean. Whatever pictures we might think of when it comes to things coming together in unity, why is it like oil going down Aaron’s beard? And the answer to that question is so good. What brought the people of God to Jerusalem together? It was celebrations at the Tabernacle or the temple, where they would offer sacrifices for their sin to reconcile them to God.
Psalm 133:1–3 teaches us unity is possible by the grace of God.
And the priests, who are represented here by Aaron, would offer those sacrifices. And back in Exodus chapter 30, we read about how this oil would be poured over the priest’s head and run down onto his beard, all the way down on his robes. Which, by the way, over his breastplate, you would find 12 stones representing all 12 tribes of Israel, who were all represented by the priest as he offered sacrifices on all of their behalf.
So now it makes sense. This good and pleasant unity was made possible by the grace of God. He was forgiving their sins and restoring them to unity with him, which then paved the way for the deepest kind of unity we can experience with each other. And this is one of those places you can’t just leave this in the Old Testament, because we don’t, as followers of Jesus, go to Jerusalem to experience unity together.
No, because Jesus is the greater high priest than Aaron. He himself has come. Instead of offering some other sacrifice as a priest, he offered himself. He gave his life on the cross to pay the price for us to be forgiven of our sin, and restored to unity with God, which then paves the way for the deepest kind of unity with each other in a way that nothing in this world can compare with.
This verse reminds us that our unity is found in the grave and truth of Jesus Christ.
So yes, don’t expect unity like this in a country where people have all kinds of different ideologies. But do expect, desire, and pursue unity like this in the church, where Jesus alone, his blood that covers over our sins, unites us together as a family. We have the same bloodline, and our unity is found in the grace and truth of Jesus Christ. Oh, Lord Jesus, you are the only one who can unite together sinners by your grace.
Oh God, we desire this kind of unity in your church. In our local churches, we pray for this. And in the Global Church, how good and pleasant it is. You say this when we dwell in unity. So God, help us to dwell in unity. Help us, in light of Ephesians 2 and the blood of Christ that brings us together to do Ephesians 4, to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit we have and the bond of peace. To be humble, gentle, and compassionate with one another, and forgiving one another as we live worthy of the calling to which you’ve called us.
Prayer for the Ilavan People
Oh God, we pray for unity as your people, just as you prayed for it, Jesus, in John 17, that the world might know that the country I live in, and countries around the world, and nations around the world, God, so that people like the Ilavan people of India and Sri Lanka, six and a half million of these Tamil speakers who worship all kinds of Hindu gods, that they might know that you are the one true God. That we might work together in unity to get the good news of your grace and your love in Jesus, your sacrifice for their sins, to the Ilavan people and all the peoples of the world.
Oh God, we want to experience this kind of otherworldly unity as your people, through your grace, through your blood, Lord Jesus, that has been offered as a sacrifice for our sins, that has made us right with you, so that we might live in right relationship with each other. Oh, Lord Jesus, you are the leader we all need. You are the Lord who is worthy of all our worship. And we pray all of this according to your Word in Psalm 133. In Jesus’ name, amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
