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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 133:1-3

Here see, I. What it is that is commended?brethren's dwelling together in unity, not only not quarrelling, and devouring one another, but delighting in each other with mutual endearments, and promoting each other's welfare with mutual services. Sometimes it is chosen, as the best expedient for preserving peace, that brethren should live asunder and at a distance from each other; that indeed may prevent enmity and strife (Gen. 13:9), but the goodness and pleasantness are for brethren to dwell... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 133:1

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is ,.... Aben Ezra thinks the word thing should be supplied; the thing is what follows; for brethren to dwell together in unity : which the Targum interprets of Zion and Jerusalem, as two brethren; Aben Ezra of the priests; Kimchi of the King Messiah and the priest; and Jarchi, and Kimchi's father, of the Israelites; which is best of all, especially of those who are Israelites indeed; for this is not to be understood of all mankind, who are in some... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 133:1

Behold, how good and how pleasant - Unity is, according to this scripture, a good thing and a pleasant; and especially among brethren - members of the same family, of the same Christian community, and of the same nation. And why not among the great family of mankind? On the other hand, disunion is bad and hateful. The former is from heaven; the latter, from hell. read more

John Calvin

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

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

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

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