ASCENDING TO THE HOUSE OF GOD

(Our Delightful, Blessed Communion - Psalm 133)

Pastor Don Fortner
Grace Baptist Church of Danville
2734 Old Stanford Road
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438


Just as he approaches the house of God and greets his brethren gathering with him to worship the Lord God of Israel, Zion ’s pilgrim sings…

“Behold, how good and how 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” (Ps. 133:1-3).

This short, sweet psalm speaks of the blessedness of the communion God’s saints have with one another when they “come together in the church.” The psalm begins with the word “Behold,” calling our hearts’ attention to such happiness as no tongue can describe.

Behold Christ

First, behold Christ in the psalm. He is the Head. We are one with Christ and one in Christ. Our communion with one another is the result of communion with him. It is his life-giving, soul-cleansing, soul-transforming grace that unites us to himself and to one another. — “Behold, how good and how 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.” — Christ, our great Aaron, was “anointed with the oil of gladness above,” and for, “his fellows.” Because the Spirit was given to him without measure (John 3:34), grace is given to us “according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Eph. 4:7). The Spirit of grace, the oil of gladness (Ps. 45:7), poured out on him without measure, runs down over all the members of his body, giving us “grace for grace” (John 1:16).

It is “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.” — Our souls, like the fruitful hill of Hermon, are made fruitful only by the continued replenishing of his grace by the Spirit of grace (Gal. 5:22-23). Our Savior is to us “as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not” (Micah 5:7).

Behold the Place

Where is it that God so graciously commands this blessing? Where does he pour out the dew of heaven, as showers upon the grass? It is “upon the mountains of Zion ,” the assemblies of his saints (Matt. 18:20; 1 Cor. 3:16), where the redeemed of the Lord are gathered to worship him.

As often as we are privileged to gather with God’s saints in his house, let us pray that he will refresh our souls with life and grace, that we may have sweet fellowship and communion with him and with one another in Christ.