Songs of the Great Ascent - Beautiful Unity

Psalm 133

Bonhoeffer opens his wonderful book, “Life Together,” with Psalm 133:1: "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity," highlighting the spiritual and social importance of communal life. He offers practical and theological insights into what it means for Christians to live in authentic community, grounded in Christ.

Jonathan Cruse, a contemporary writer, in his introduction to Psalm 133 writes:

“We now consider a brief, delightful, happy psalm. Nevertheless, because we live in an age of polarizing opinions, radical individualism, and societal fracture, it’s a convicting and sobering psalm. That’s because it’s all about unity – something in short supply in the world and also in the church.

“One question we have been asking with each of these fifteen songs is, What particularly makes it a psalm of ascents? What makes it a fitting song to sing when one is marching to Zion? The answer here is quite clear: you can’t make the pilgrimage alone. This world is too dangerous, the road too winding, the path too treacherous. God hasn’t designed for you to go it alone anyway:

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has not one to help him up (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

“If we hope to reach our destination, we need to be unified in our Christian relations, whether that is the church or in the family.

“The psalmist opens with “Look at this!” He wants us and the whole world to see the blessedness and beauty of Christian unity. It’s as though he is opening the doors of the church and telling everyone to peer inside.

“Think about that for a moment: What if the world could peer into the life of the church: not just what happens there in Sunday worship (though predominantly that) but also what happens before, after, and between services? What if the world could see what happens throughout the week among the members of our community? If people looked at that, would they see something that is good and pleasant?”

We must admit that so often this is not our reality. He continues, “We are rife with dissensions and disagreements. We put our own wants above the needs of others. The primary reason that unity is missing in a community, certainly a Christian community; at bottom, the reason will be because somebody somewhere has decided to put himself or herself first.”

When we do that, the message of this psalm will be lost, and that which is good and pleasant will be lacking in our lives.

Are you promoting that which is good and pleasant in the community of God’s people? Join us this Lord’s Day as we look at what is “good and pleasant.”

One in Christ,

Pastor Wayne