Psalm 133

A Song of Ascents. Of David.
¹Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
²It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
³It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.

Derek Kidner:
God’s blessings are not the preserve of a few but are free to be spread and to be shared, unifying the recipients all the more – just as the oil doesn’t stay on the head but covers beard and shirt

Hermon: the highest mountain in Israel, was evidently proverbial for it’s heavy dew; yet the little Mount Zion enjoyed the same gift. ‘High and low drink in the same sweet refreshment’.

The second half of verse 3, with its strong accent on God’s initiative and on what is only His to give (life forevermore), clinches another emphasis of the psalm, which is made by a threefold repetition, partially lost in translation: literally, “descending (2a)…descending (2b)…descending (3a).” In short, true unity, like all good gifts, is from above; bestowed rather than contrived, a blessing far more than an achievement.


What does the psalmist call us to behold in verse 1?

Why would this be a good and pleasant thing?

Aaron was the first priest of the nation of Israel. As priest, he was the symbolic mediator between God and the people. He offered up sacrifices to God on behalf of the people and He blessed the people in the name of God. Oil was a sign of blessing and abundance. Here the psalmist pictures the blessing of unity as something that is precious (oil) that starts at the top of the head and runs down the face of Aaron all the way to his shirt. The same idea is presented with the two mountains verse 3: blessings roll down from above and cover both. The imagery is meant to show how the blessings of God work: God extends blessing from heaven and we pass them along. The most blessed situation imaginable is when God blesses and we don’t hoard his blessings to ourselves. Rather, as God gives, we give and the whole community is blessed. This psalm serves as a song of praise and rejoicing when this occurs. It also serves as a reminder to the people: God’s blessings were never meant to be gripped tightly – they were meant to be shared.

How are you giving?

Do you give money to ministries that serve the poor? Do you support your local church? Do you serve in community projects? How might you take the blessings given to you and pass them along?