(vss. 1-3) “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of? Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”
This beautiful little Psalm from its setting here is but the natural outflow of the activity of the Spirit of God now untrammeled and unhindered, the Lord having been given His rightful place.
Sometimes the condition of things as mentioned in this Psalm are spoken of as something to be attained by builders unheeding the exhortations of Psalm 127. If these things are not true, does it not call for repentance – doing the first works and getting back to first love? No doubt, in its future application, it refers to Israel as mentioned in Ezekiel 37, brought forth from the dust amongst the nations. Then the two sticks, Judah and Joseph, will become one in the hand, and the King shall be to them all.
To give it a typical application, is not this the “unity of the Spirit” (Eph. 4:3) and connected with chapter 2 where God is looked at as the Builder of the house? (Ephesians 3 is a parenthesis.)
“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone: In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:20-22).
What a unity, brought about by the Holy Spirit! But it can only be kept in the uniting bond of peace, by heeding the exhortations given us by “the prisoner of the Lord.” “I therefore .... beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:2-3).
It is well to remember another exhortation: “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33). What is needed is: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” Gal. (5:22-23).
Is not this what we find in our Psalm in the description of the anointing oil poured upon Aaron? Would it not be typical of our Great High Priest from whose ways ever arose that precious odor of the ointment which caused the heavens to open and say, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”?
(vs. 2) “That ran down upon the beard”; men wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth! “That went down to the skirts of his garments.”
Peter tells us He “went about doing good”; and is not He the only One who fits the description in Psalm 1 as that “Blessed” One?
Aaron’s sons were also anointed with him (Exod. 29:41). We have received an anointing too – 1 John 2:20 and 27: “Ye have an unction from the Holy One” – “The anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you,” etc. Also 2 Cor. 1:21-22: “Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who also hath sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” We are to “show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” We are subjects too of the ministry of Christ to this end: “That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:26-27).
In our Psalm 133 we have then, this fragrance going up from those who have sought Him and given Him His true place, and their lives corresponded to the step which they had taken. The Lord’s answer to this was blessing coming down.
(vs. 3) “As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”
Here we have a lofty mountain with its head reaching up into the heavens and bringing down the blessings from above. When the Lord Jesus was here on earth He spoke of Himself as the “Son of man which is in heaven” (John 3:13); also “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father” (John 1:18).
“Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). This is the same position where Christ is as brought out in verse 20: “Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places.” Again, in Eph. 2:6: “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”