Psalm 133

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 133:1

Verse 1 1.Behold how good, etc. I have no doubt that David in this Psalm renders thanks to God for the peace and harmony which had succeeded a long and melancholy state of confusion and division in the kingdom, and that he would exhort all individually to study the maintenance of peace. This is the subject enlarged upon, at least so far as the shortness of the Psalm admits of it. There was ample ground to praise the goodness of God in the highest terms, for uniting in one a people which had... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 133:3

Verse 3 3.Like the precious ointment upon the head. We have here clear proof that David, as we have just said, holds all true union among brethren to take its rise from God, and to have this for its legitimate object, that all may be brought to worship God in purity, and call upon iris name with one consent. Would the similitude have been borrowed from holy ointment if it had not been to denote, that religion must always hold the first place? (148) Any concord, it is thus insinuated, which may... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 133:1

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ! The unity described appears to be existent, and to present itself to the psalmist's vision. Hence the opening, "Behold!" All may see it, and see how blessed and pleasant a thing it is. "Brethren" is used in the wide sense of descendants of a common ancestor ( Genesis 13:8 ; Exodus 2:11 ; Acts 7:26 , etc.). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 133:1

Possible unities. The topic of the psalm is the joy felt in the reuniting of the nation in its restoration from the scattering and depression of the Captivity. Strictly there is no Hebrew equivalent for the words rendered "in unity." The Hebrew simply means, "How pleasant a thing it is for (those who are) brethren to dwell together also!" The idea has been thus expressed, "How good it is for those who are united by the ties of kinmanship to be united yet closer by the possession of one... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 133:1-3

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 133:1-3

Unity in the Church. Applying the words of the psalm to a Christian community gathered together for the worship and the work of our Lord, we may regard— I. THAT IN WHICH UNITY CONSISTS . This we find in: 1. The acceptance of the same truth in the same sense. It is not enough that all subscribe to the same Creed, or agree to use the same words in prayer or sacred song,—that is only a formal and outward unity; there must be a substantial, intelligent agreement. Not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 133:1-3

Unity. This most delightful little psalm summons our attention to the exceeding excellence of this grace of unity, and by so doing it invites us to consider what are its elements and conditions. Now, we all of us have a general idea of what unity is; we need not labor after an exact definition, and we are ready to subscribe our assent to the declaration of the psalm, and say of it, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is!" These two qualities do not always go together; there are many things... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 133:1-3

Unity. Herder says of this exquisite little song that "it has the fragrance of a lovely rose." Nowhere has the nature of true unity—that unity which binds men together, not by artificial restraints, but as brethren of one heart—been more faithfully described, nowhere so gracefully illustrated, as in this short ode. True concord, we are here taught, is a holy thing, a sacred oil, a rich perfume, which, flowing down from the head to the beard, from the beard to the garment, sanctifies the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 133:2

It is like the precious ointment upon the head . The anointing oil of the sanctuary was an ointment composed of many "precious" ingredients, as myrrh, cinnamon, sweet calamus, and cassia, besides oil olive, which was its basis ( Exodus 30:23 , Exodus 30:24 ). Not only Aaron (Le 8:12), but all later high priests, were anointed with it ( Exodus 30:30 ). That ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard . This would be the natural result of a copious "pouring" of the oil upon the top of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 133:2

Fragrance of the brotherhood. "True concord is a holy thing, a sacred oil, a rich perfume which, flowing down from the head to the beard, from the beard to the garment, sanctifies the whole body." We get a better idea of the figure if we think of scent, or perfume, rather than oil, which Western people dislike, save for special uses. There can be little room for doubting that the psalm is a rejoicing over the restored unity of the Jewish nation. "Ephraim no longer vexed Judah, or Judah... read more

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