Psalm 133

Bible Passage:  Psalm 133

“Brothers dwell in unity, how good and pleasant it will be,
brothers dwell in unity, in harmony.”

This is part of a hymn based on Psalm 133, which I really like. The tune is refreshing and smooth at the same time, perfectly reflecting the feeling of true unity.

Unity, whether among family members or in the church, gives us joy, a sense of belonging and of being loved and acts like a “super glue” between any two individuals or a group of people. It soothes the heart just like the fragrant oil that ran down Aaron’s beard must have soothed his heart and refreshes the soul, like the dew of Mount Hermon that made Canaan a fertile land. Psalm 133 tells us that God is pleased when His people are united and their unity will not only bring great blessings upon each and everyone but also eternal life (Ps 133:3).

Yet we often see disharmony and disagreements between husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters as well as between church members and even among ministers. We may be able to name hundreds of reasons why we disagree with each other, but all reasons eventually boil down to one common point: we think that the other party is wrong, and we are unwilling to take a step back.

Proverbs 6:19 tells us that the Lord hates those who sow discord among brethren. Whatever disagreement we may have with others actually causes discord, so every disagreement is a thorn in God’s eyes. So how do we avoid disagreements and strive for unity? Apostle Paul provides the following solution:

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(Eph 4:1-3)

In short:

Be humble, gentle and patient; sympathize with other people’s weaknesses and always seek to resolve conflicts peacefully. Most importantly, we need to pray and ask God to help us put these things into practice. For if we rely on ourselves, our human weaknesses will always hinder the unity among brethren; but if we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, we will experience the wonder and bliss of brothers (and sisters) dwelling together in unity and a church growing to the fullness of Christ.