View as Webpage

Morning Devotion for the Season after Pentecost

November 14, 2022

Invitatory

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him.

Reading - Psalm 133

Oh, how good and pleasant it is,

when brethren live together in unity!

It is like fine oil upon the head

that runs down upon the beard,

Upon the beard of Aaron,

and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

It is like the dew of Hermon

that falls upon the hills of Zion.

For there the Lord has ordained the blessing:

life for evermore.

Meditation - Winnie Smith

Unity may be tough, but how good and pleasant it is when we live together! Psalm 133, one of the Songs of Ascent - traditionally sung by Jewish pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for religious festivals - is brief and uncomplicated. It is also, I think, remarkable in its simplicity. It honors the beauty and delight of our shared existence. It celebrates the mundanity of our common experience as humans. Psalm 133 describes as magnificent something we take for granted.

With few words, the psalmist conveys just how precious dwelling together is: “It is like fine oil upon the head that runs down upon the beard.” In biblical times, a good host would have welcomed visitors into his home by washing their feet and pouring oil on their heads. These were signs of respect and hospitality. Any hearer of this text would have understood the significance of such a comparison between dwelling together and fine oil running down.

The psalm continues later: “It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion.” Hermon was known for its moisture-rich climate, and Zion, of course, was one of the holiest sites for Jews. The psalmist's language suggests a movement towards the sacred, a movement towards holiness. That is how valuable he sees harmonious living between people: by living peaceably with one another, we can grow closer to God.

I have known this psalm all my adult life because it was my college’s motto. For years, the first verse has been a constant refrain in my head: “how very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity.” It has honestly changed the way I view people. It has forced me to value others, even when I may not like them. If I can constantly remind myself of the way God sees us all as kindred, then I am forced to value others and value our common experience as people. It is rarely easy, but it makes life so much better. How very good and pleasant it is.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

    hallowed be thy Name,

    thy kingdom come,

    thy will be done,

        on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

    as we forgive those

        who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

    and the power, and the glory

   for ever and ever. Amen.