South Carolina priest says message of unity in Psalm 133 is needed now more than ever
"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life for evermore" (Psalm 133:1-3).
These verses from the book of Psalms comprise the entirety of Psalm 133 – and their message of unity and hope are particularly important in today's trying times, a Catholic priest told Fox News Digital this week.
"Every weekend throughout the United States at different houses of worship, Jewish and Christian communities of various traditions turn to the Book of Psalms as a source of prayer," Rev. Jeffrey Kirby said.
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Kirby is pastor of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Indian Land, South Carolina. He hosts the morning devotional "Morning Offering with Father Kirby."
Psalms, which are sometimes sung by a cantor or chorus, "disclose the inner movements of the human heart as we search to encounter God," he said, and "are truly a rare collection of snapshots of the human psyche and its desire to see and understand God."
"The 150 psalms are filled with cries of lament and songs of praise. They express every possible emotion of the human soul," Kirby said.
They are "spontaneous, fluid and give a profound expression to the beauty and chaos of the human heart," he said.
Psalm 133 is especially poignant in light of recent events.
"In our own times, marked as they are by polarization and division, and recently heightened by the shocking attempted assassination of a former president and leading political candidate, we can follow the lead of countless generations before us and turn to the Book of Psalms," Kirby said.
Psalm 133, he said, "can raise up our hearts and give us guidance and encouragement."
Said Kirby, "The psalm was one of the Psalms of Ascent, since it was sung by people as they neared Jerusalem for one of the major feasts. The strength of its call for unity and the conviction of its hope for peace among people, however, jumps out and shakes believers of every generation."
"In typical fashion with the psalms," Kirby said, "which read the human heart and give it words, Psalm 133 expresses the deepest sentiments of many Americans today."
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For context, Kirby said, "the use of oil in ancient Israel was a sign of favor and blessing. It was used to designate God's presence and purpose."
It is "biblically rich" that the concept of unity was compared to this kind of oil upon the robe of Aaron, "the spiritual father of the temple priests in the Old Testament," he said.
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"The psalmist is telling us that unity is a divine gift, attached to the adoration of God and the prayers of humanity."
Additionally, Mount Hermon had special significance in biblical times that may not be known to the modern reader, Kirby said.
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Mount Hermon "is the largest and most visible mountain range in the Holy Land," he said.
"Due to its height, the dew of Hermon was seen as symbolically falling upon the entire land. Hermon was a sign of God's blessings and the assurance of his gift of life."
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The psalmist likens unity to "the dew of Hermon," Kirby noted.
"As the mountain range provided defense, security and fresh springs to God's people, so unity gives protection, stability and refreshment to society," he said.
Just as Mount Hermon was a sign of the blessings of God, "unity is also shown to be a shining display of God's blessing upon us," he said.
"As we pray this psalm, we feel it resonate within our own souls and the soul of our nation," Kirby said.
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"As Americans, our hearts yearn and pine as we turn and ask God today for 'the precious oil' of unity and for the cherished peace that comes with 'the dew of Hermon.'"