Psalms 133
Chuck Smith on Psalms 133
Verse by verse, taught on Sunday nights: the C2000 series, 1979 to 1985, and the C3000 series, 1985 to 1999. Permission granted by The Word For Today.
Sunday Nights, 1979 to 1985 (C2000)
Verse 1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! (133:1)
How sad and tragic it is for brothers to dwell together in disunity. Oh, how we need to strive to maintain the unity of the body of Christ.
Verse 2
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 (133:2);
Now, the anointing with oil in the Old Testament when they sanctified Aaron towards the priesthood, they took oil and they poured it over him. And as they poured it over him, it ran down him, ran down his beard, dripped on down and on his skirts. It just... the anointing with oil was just taking a jar and dumping it out. Now in the New Testament it says, "Is there any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord" (James 5:14).
And now if we did it like they did in Bible days, we just come out with a pitcher of oil and pour it over the head of the sick. You'd really get then the implication of the anointing with oil. The oil in here is kicking back to the precious ointment that was upon the head, poured upon the head of Aaron. Ran down on his beard, even down to the skirts of his garments.
Verse 3
As the dew of Hermon, as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore (133:3).
What is so good? I mean, what is all of these pictures? It's just picturesque of the goodness of men who dwell together in unity. How glorious it is to be able to gather together in love and in unity and just hey, all part of the family. What a beautiful experience. It's incomparable. It's fresh. It's anointed. It's alive.
Sunday Nights, 1985 to 1999 (C3000)
Chapter introduction
Psalm one hundred and thirty-three the people are all gathered again. They are worshiping God . God has brought them into the glorious place. As we stand before God we all stand on the same level. Standing before God, no one is exalted above the other. All men standing before God stand on that same level together, God is no respecter of persons. When we gather to worship God we gather as one “there is neither Jew nor Greek nor Barbarian, bond or free. We are all on the same level, we are all brought to the same level before God.
Verse 1
BEHOLD, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (133:1).
What a beautiful thing when God’s people gather together to worship the Lord. When God has drawn us together and we are here before the Lord just in this unity, in this oneness that is ours in the body of Christ, how good and how pleasant it is.
Verse 2
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; (133:2).
When Aaron was chosen by the Lord to be the high-priest who would go into the tabernacle, into the holy of holies, to stand before the Ark of the Covenant and make intercession for the nation God gave to Moses the design for this beautiful robe that Aaron was to wear. This crown that he wore upon his head with the gemstones in it, the shoulders with the gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel, the breastplate with it’s gemstones and the colors it was no doubt a magnificent thing. When it was all prepared by these men that God had skilled and Aaron put on these beautiful vestments and now he is to be anointed as the high-priest, Moses took this cruse of oil and poured it over Aaron, the oil that was made according to the compounding of the law. It was poured down his beard and dripped down his skirt. It was a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Oil is often a symbol of the Spirit in the scriptures, the anointing of the Spirit and the covering of the Spirit. It was a very exciting thing.
Men dwelling in unity worshiping God. It’s just like that precious ointment that they poured over Aaron’s head that came down his beard and dripped down his skirt. Then taking the allegory in another direction.
Verse 3
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew descended upon the mountains of Zion: (133:3).
The glorious rain that comes from the north down for Hermon covers the land falling on Zion.
for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore (133:3).
So the description of the refreshment, the glory of men and women gathering together to worship God together in unity.