Ps 133, the classic psalm on unity, uses two images to describe unity. One is the image of priestly oil (Ps 133:2), reminding us of the consecration of the priests in the Old Testament (Ex 29:7, 9). Oil is a symbol of God’s presence and His Spirit and rmeinds us that God’s presence is the unifying factor in our worship. We are all priests (1 Pet 2:5, 9-10) and in learning to value others in this way, barriers to unity are dissolved. When we see people as made in God’s worship and as holy priests, we can’t treat them as of no consequence or ride roughshod over them.
The second image is of the dew of Hermon falling on Mount Zion (Ps 133:3), symbolising refreshing, renewal, ‘a feeling of fertility, a clean anticipation of growth.’ (Eugene Peterson, ‘The Journey’, P 165) God speaks to each one of us, bringing revelation and insight into the faithfulness, mercy and love of God (see Lam 3:22-23). Church, family, are not meant to be spectator-sports like watching the Olympics; they are meant to involve the participation of all (see Col 3:16, 1 Cor 14:26). We all become involved in mutual edification and growth, for God is speaking new things to each one of us. What’s God saying to us today?
