Behold how good a thing

Verse 1
Behold how good a thing
It is to dwell in peace, (Ps. 133:1)
How pleasing to our King
This fruit of righteousness, (James 3:18, Heb. 12:11)
When brethren all in one agree; (John 17:21, I Cor. 1:10)
Who knows the joys of unity! (Ps. 133:1)

Verse 2
When all are sweetly join’d, (I Cor. 1:10)
(True followers of the Lamb, (Rev. 14:4)
The same in heart and mind,) (Phil. 2:2, Acts 4:32)
And think and speak the same, (I Cor. 1:10)
And all in love together dwell; (Eph. 5:2)
The comfort is unspeakable.

Verse 3
Where unity takes place, (Ps. 133:1)
The joys of heaven we prove:
This is the gospel-grace,
The unction from above, (I John 2:20, I John 2:27, II Cor. 1:21-22)
The Spirit on all believers shed, (Acts 2:1-4, Acts 2:33)
Descending swift from Christ our head. (Eph. 4:15)

Verse 4
Where unity is found, (Ps. 133:1)
The sweet anointing grace (II Cor. 1:21-22)
Extends to all around,
And overspreads[1] the place;
To every waiting soul it comes,
And fills it with divine perfumes. (II Cor. 2:15)

Verse 5
Jesus, our great high-priest, (Heb. 4:14)
For us the gift receiv’d, (Ps. 45:7, Heb. 1:9)
For us, and all the rest,
Who have in him believ’d;
Forth from our head the blessing goes, (Eph. 4:15-16)
And all his seamless coat o’erflows. (John 19:23)

Verse 6
On all his chosen ones
The pretious oil comes down; (Ps. 133:2, Ex. 29:7, Lev. 21:10, Ps. 23:5)
It runs, and as it runs,
It ever will run on,
Ev’n to his skirts—the meanest name (Ps. 133:2)
That longs to love the bleeding Lamb. (Rev. 5:6)

Verse 7
From Aaron’s beard it rolls (Ps. 133:2, Ex. 29:7, Lev. 21:10)
(Those nearest to his face)
To humble, trembling souls
Who feebly sue for grace:
I know the grace for all is free,
For lo! It reaches now to me.

Verse 8
Grace every morning new, (Lam. 3:22-23)
And every night we feel
The soft, refreshing dew,
That falls from Hermon’s hill; (Ps. 133:3)
On Sion it doth sweetly fall, (Ps. 133:3)
The grace of One descends on all.

Verse 9
Ev’n now our Lord doth pour
The blessing from above, (Ps. 133:3)
A kindly, gracious shower (Ezek. 34:26)
Of heart-reviving love,
The former and the latter rain, (Deut. 11:14, Joel 2:23, James 5:7)
The love of God, and love of man. (Matt. 22:37-39, Luke 10:27)

Verse 10
In him when brethren join,
And follow after peace, (Ps. 133:1, Heb. 12:14)
The fellowship divine
He promises to bless,
His chiefest graces to bestow,
Where two or three are met below. (Matt. 18:20)

Verse 11
The riches of his grace (Eph. 1:7, Eph. 1:18)
In fellowship are given,
To Sion’s chosen race,
The citizens of heaven; (Phil. 3:20, Heb. 11:13-16)
He fills them with his choicest store,
He gives them life for evermore. (Ps. 133:3, I Pet. 1:3-4)

[1] Wesley changed “overspreads” to “consecrates” in 1743.