When Brothers Dwell in Unity | Morning Routine for December 11

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 (ESV)

Today we’re looking at the fourteenth of the fifteen songs of ascent in Psalms. These songs are contained in Psalm 120–134 and were written by King David during his reign over Israel. They’re called songs of ascent because they were sung as the people made pilgrimage up through the hills of Jerusalem to celebrate seasonal feasts on the temple mount.  

David, who Scripture regards as a man after God’s own heart, had a burning desire to see the Lord glorified among the people. The songs he wrote contain numerous references to Jerusalem or Zion, the temple, Israel, peace, and adversity. In this song, David encourages the righteous to dwell in unity with each other. He says in verse two that their unity is as precious as the oil that anointed the first high priest, Aaron. In verse three, David likens unity to the dew that rests on Hermon, a battleground that was conquered after the Lord fought on Israel’s behalf, blessing their efforts.

Unity was important to David because it is important to the Lord. Unity doesn’t necessarily mean tolerating sin, but it does mean loving people in spite of their sin, and looking for ways to gently encourage them to honor God in every aspect of their life. It is also important to bear with fellow Christians as they are tempted, encouraging them to turn to the Lord for their strength. Today, who needs to be encouraged to put petty disagreements aside and agree in the name of the Lord? Do you need to hear this? We all need frequent reminders that we can forgive others because Christ has first forgiven us. Unity is more important than being right.