Nowhere in the Psalter is the unity, which God looks for, and will provide, declared more clearly and forcefully than in the very short Psalm 133, which is a Psalm of David.  Here it is from the Revised Standard Version with explanatory comment.

Behold, how good and pleasant it is - When brothers dwell together in unity!

The Psalm begins with the citing of a proverb: “See how good and how lovely it is! Brothers living together even as one.”

It arises in a social situation, which does not exist in western countries today and which, from within modern individualism, we find difficult to envisage.

Yet it is still found in other places of the world, in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, for example.

That is, a society based upon the solidarity of the extended family and of the tribal unit, and with property held in common.

Where this solidarity works well then it has been and remains very wholesome and sweet indeed.
David himself came from a large family and thus was very much integrated into the social structure assumed here.

Two metaphors are used by David to lift this proverb from the ideal of basic family and tribal cohesion up to the communion, fellowship and unity of those who gather together before God to worship him in the sanctuary.

It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down upon the beard, Upon the beard of Aaron, Running down to the collar of his robes.

The indescribably good feeling of genuine fellowship of heart and mind before God is first of all presented as like the rich oil of unction (with its accompanying fragrance) not only upon the head but overflowing on to the beard of the high priest, Aaron, down to the very collar of his high priestly vestments (see for details of the ceremony Exodus 29:7, 21; Leviticus 8:12; & Exodus 30:22-33).

We are to understand by this picture the differentiation of the priest and the robes and also, at the same time, the unifying reality of the oil and its fragrance covering priest and robes.

It is like the dew of Hermon, Which falls on the mountains of Zion!

The picture here is of the heavy dews of Mt Hermon bringing moisture to the thirsty lands below it, and being extended, to cover the smaller hills of Mt Zion. This is a picture of the abundant blessings of the LORD coming “from above” to his people on earth, specifically as gathered together in the Temple of Jerusalem, and united by his gracious favors.

The second half of verse 3 , with its emphasis upon the initiative of God himself (“the LORD commanded”) and on what is only his to give (“life for evermore”) also underlines what has been communicated earlier by a threefold repetition, partly lost in most translations: literally, “descending” (2a)… “descending” (2b)…”descending” (3a). That is, true unity of God’s people is from above, bestowed rather than contrived, and a blessing rather than an achievement.

For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, Life for evermore.

Recalling that David is the writer, and that “there” is Jerusalem, where Israel met in God’s courts and where heaven and earth united, we cannot avoid noting that it was also “there” (2 Samuel 11:1) that the same David was to bring that discord which would spread throughout the whole land and kingdom.

Where there is the possibility of great blessing and unity, there is also the possibility – due to human weakness and sinfulness – of great division.

Obviously this Psalm speaks to us at both the level of family life and of local church life – perhaps also community life.

It does not say that we are to have unity at any cost; but it does call us to seek for truth with unity and unity with truth for these two are like inseparable twins from conception! Let us not only respect but also love one another!

For other similar meditations go to www.anglicansatprayer.org

See also www.churchofenglandcayman.com for local commentary and information.