Psalm 133 A Song of Ascents. Of David.

 ¹Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brethren to dwell together in unity!

²It is like the precious oil upon the head,

Running down on the beard,

The beard of Aaron,

Running down on the edge of his garments.

³It is like the dew of Hermon,

Descending upon the mountains of Zion;

For there the Lord commanded the blessing—

Life forevermore.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brethren to dwell together in unity!”

This is God’s desire for all His people, for us all who believe to dwell in unity. From the least to the greatest, for us all to see every brother and sister as a necessary member of the Body of Christ. Unity though is not uniformity, as the Believers Bible Commentary notes. We don’t all have to look the same, or have the same opinions on non essential matters, for our freedom in Christ means that we can have our own points of view and express ourselves individually and creatively, for as diverse as God’s creation is so is the Body of Christ and its members. Again, our unity is not found in politics, or adhering to certain Bible translations, or worship styles and songs, or…., our unity is found in Jesus Christ, in the unshakable and unchangeably belief that anyone and everyone who believes in Him has remission of all their sins and everlasting life. That is foundation of our unity, the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel, His commandments, His teachings.

And so, it is a most blessed state to be around those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ through the same, who hold to the grace of God again and again. Good and pleasant are the words used here, but in one’s heart it feels more richer than that.

Vs. 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,

Running down on the beard,

The beard of Aaron,

Running down on the edge of his garments.

The analogy of brethren dwelling in unity is now likened to the precious anointing oil that was poured upon Aaron by Moses, which ran down his beard to the edge of his garments and thus covered him with a beautiful holy fragrance that all near him could perceive and be comforted by; and so, we see this clearly as the Lord Jesus Christ pouring His Holy Spirit upon us His people, God’s children, making us each His priests to bear His beautiful fragrance in this broken and hostile world so that all who are longing for Him can perceive Him as near through us, and find rest for their souls (Matt. 11:28-30).

Vs. 3 “It is like the dew of Hermon,

Descending upon the mountains of Zion;

For there the Lord commanded the blessing—

Life forevermore.

The analogy of our unity is further likened to the dew of Mount Hermon (the tallest mountain in ancient Israel) descending upon the Mountains of Zion (the religious center of Israel). Thus, as God’s Holy Spirit descends from the heights of heaven it comes down upon us our in worship filling our persons and lives, blessing us individually and collectively, making us all to be His witnesses of life everlasting!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.