song of ascents

David, The Message, Psalm 133

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.

Eugene Peterson explains,

Our membership in the church is a corollary of our faith in Christ. We can no more be a Christian and have nothing to do with the church than we can be a person and not be in a family. Membership in the church is a basic spiritual fact for those who confess Christ as Lord. It is not an option for those Christians who happen by nature to be more gregarious than others. It is part of the fabric of redemption.

God never makes private, secret salvation deals with people. No Christian is an only child. The Jerusalem Bible translates the first verse of this Psalm, "How good, how delightful it is for all to live together like brothers."

Peterson quotes Dietrich Bonhoeffer on this,

Not what a man is in himself as a Christian, his spirituality and piety, constitutes the basis of our community. What determines our brotherhood [and sisterhood] is what that man [or woman] is by reason of Christ. Our community with one another consists solely in what Christ has done to both of us.

and then adds,

And what Christ has done is anoint us with his Spirit. We are set apart for service to one another. We mediate to one another the mysteries of God. We represent to one another the address of God. We are priests who speak God's Word and share Christ's sacrifice.

The oil in this text represents the Holy Spirit and the dew is simply that, the fresh morning dew which is new every morning like His mercies. Peterson writes,

[In this we have] an ever-renewed expectation in what God is doing with our brothers and sisters in the faith. We refuse to label the others as one thing or another. We refuse to predict our brother's behavior, our sister's growth. Each person in the community is unique; each is specially loved and particularly led by the Spirit of God. How can I presume to make conclusions about anyone? How can I pretend to know your worth or your place?

[The people of God] are new persons each morning, endless in their possibilities. We explore the fascinating depths of their friendship, share the secrets of their quest. It is impossible to be bored in such a community, impossible to feel alienated among such people.

Oil and dew. The two things make life together delightful.

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