PSALM 133
1Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!a
2It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
3It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
PSALM 134
1Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!
3May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!
TEN POINTS TO PONDER
- God is unity defined. As the three in one, He is three persons who are perfectly united while also being distinct from one another.
- Unity is not uniformity. God does not want us all to be exactly the same, think exactly the same, or act exactly the same. He made us all different. He wants us to embrace our uniqueness while also choosing oneness. Unity is togetherness, not sameness.
- Unity makes everything better: family, marriage, work, sports, neighborhoods, schools, friend groups, and even church!
- The night before He died, Jesus’ singular prayer for His followers (and for us) was that we would all be unified. He wanted our unity to match the unity of the Trinity (distinct but one).
- When the early church was most unified, they saw the most people coming to faith in Christ. As the church grew and division slowly spread, the massive numbers of salvations began to decline.
- Unity is not something we can manufacture. It is a gift and provision from God. Before we can be united to each other, we must be united with God.
- Unity flows from God to us. The more united we each are with God, the more united we all will be with one another.
- When I am focused on all that God has done for me, I will be less concerned with what others have done to me or haven’t done for me.
- When I am focused on the grace and mercy God has given to me, it is easier for me to give grace and mercy to others.
- The more we put ourselves in places to experience the goodness of God while alongside others, the easier it will be to be unified with others.
YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE
One of the greatest blessings we have been given is a group of people with whom to walk through life. Jesus gave us the church so we would never have to walk alone. Sometimes in our pursuit of a “personal” relationship with God, we forge that He has called us to be part of a community. That calling must be a priority for us. Check out these 13 reasons why Christians can never walk alone!
1. When we were saved, we were baptized into a body (1 Cor.12)
2. Christ’s final command was to “love one another”. (John 13)
3. Christ’s one prayer for the church was “unity” (John 17)
4. Man was created in the image of God. Unity with diversity. (Gen 1-2)
5. It is not good for man to be alone. (Gen. 2)
6. The mission of the church cannot be accomplished if we do not love one another (John 13,17)
7. The message the apostles taught new believers from the beginning was to “love one another” (1 John 3)
8. A mature church is a unified church. (Eph. 4)
9. Our “spiritual worship” is necessarily tied to our love for each other. (Rom. 12)
10. Jesus’ example was to sacrifice solitude in favor of service. (Luke 9)
11. We are called to think more highly of others than ourselves. (Philp. 2)
12. Jesus expected us to seek first THE kingdom, not our kingdom. (Matt. 6)
13. Righteousness requires justice and mercy to our fellow man. (Amos)
Click on the image to download the DiscipleQuest PDF
The DiscipleQuest PDF includes 7 days of verse study prompts. You can use these seven studies to dig deeper into what the Bible teaches about unity:
- 1 Corinthians 12:12
- Ephesians 4:3
- John 17:23
- Colossians 3:14
- 1 Corinthians 1:10
- Jeremiah 32:38-39
- Romans 15:5-6
Use these questions as journal prompts or as conversation starters with a group of friends or a Bible study group:
When you hear the word “unity,” what comes to mind? How is biblical unity different from simply agreeing about everything?
David says unity is both “good” and “pleasant.” What is the difference between those two ideas? Why is it significant that unity is both?
Psalm 133 talks about brothers “dwelling” together in unity. What is the difference between being around people and genuinely living in unity with them?
What most commonly threatens unity among Christians—not theoretically, but in real relationships?
David compares unity to the precious oil flowing from Aaron’s head, down his beard, and onto his robes. What does the repeated picture of something flowing downward suggest about where true unity originates?
David’s second picture is dew coming from Hermon and falling on Zion. In what ways does healthy unity bring life, refreshment, or growth to a church, family, or group of friends?
Psalm 133 celebrates togetherness without saying everyone must be identical. What differences can Christians have while still enjoying genuine unity? Where should we draw the line?
The Psalm ends, “For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” What is the relationship between God’s blessing and the unity of God’s people?
Think about a relationship in which maintaining unity is difficult for you. What would you need to surrender, change, forgive, or stop trying to control in order to pursue unity?
What is one concrete thing you could do this week to strengthen unity in your family, church, workplace, or another relationship?
Lake Bible Notes 
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