Psalm Chapter 133 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 133:1
Verse: הִנֵּה מַה-טּוֹב וּמַה-נָּעִים
Transliteration: Hineh mah-tov u-mah-na’im
English: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”
Focus Word: אֶחָד (Echad)
- Root: א-ח-ד (Aleph-Chet-Dalet)
- Meaning: “One,” “unity,” “togetherness.”
- Deeper Insight: Echad conveys harmony and cohesion, highlighting the blessing of communal peace under God’s guidance.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| טוֹב — tov | Verse 1 — “Behold, how good…” | “Good,” pleasant. | Tov (“good”) signals moral and experiential goodness in unity. It conveys harmony rooted in divine order. The word opens the Psalm with delight in fellowship. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| נָעִים — na‘im | Verse 1 — “…and how pleasant it is…” | “Pleasant,” lovely. | Na‘im (“pleasant”) connotes refreshing beauty and sweetness. It enhances the emotional appeal of unity. The term adds aesthetic warmth to the Psalm. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| יָחַד — yachad | Verse 1 — “…for brethren to dwell together…” | “Together,” united. | Yachad (“together”) expresses genuine unity rooted in shared purpose. It indicates relational harmony. The word conveys the Psalm’s central blessing. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| יָרַד — yarad | Verse 2 — “It is like oil… running down…” | “To descend,” flow. | Yarad (“to descend”) emphasizes overflowing abundance. It portrays unity as a cascading blessing. The verb enriches the anointing imagery. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| שֶׁמֶן — shemen | Verse 2 — “…the precious oil…” | “Oil,” anointing oil. | Shemen (“oil”) symbolizes consecration and divine favor. It links unity with sacred blessing. The term reflects spiritual richness. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| טוֹר — tor | Verse 2 — “Running down on the beard…” | “Flow,” line. | Tor (“flow”) accentuates the lavishness of the anointing. It signifies continuity and abundance. The word deepens sensory detail. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| חֶרְמוֹן — Hermon | Verse 3 — “Like the dew of Hermon…” | “Hermon,” mountain. | Hermon (“Hermon”) evokes imagery of refreshing moisture. It symbolizes life-giving blessing. The term reinforces unity as a source of vitality. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| טַל — tal | Verse 3 — “…the dew…” | “Dew,” moisture. | Tal (“dew”) signifies divine refreshing and preservation. It softens and enriches the land. The word enhances the Psalm’s pastoral imagery. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| צִיּוֹן — Zion | Verse 3 — “…that descends upon the mountains of Zion…” | “Zion,” holy mountain. | Tziyon (“Zion”) represents God’s chosen dwelling. It grounds unity in divine presence. The term connects blessing with sacred geography. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| בְּרָכָה — berakhah | Verse 3 — “For there the LORD commanded the blessing…” | “Blessing,” divine favor. | Berakhah (“blessing”) denotes abundant life bestowed by God. It completes the Psalm with promise. The term links unity with divine flourishing. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 133 |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Scott (University of Edinburgh, 1747–1821) | Commentary on the Holy Bible | Scott celebrates harmonious fellowship as a blessing rooted in divine approval. |
| John Owen (University of Oxford, 1616–1683) | A Commentary on the Psalms | Owen emphasizes that unity among the faithful is both pleasing to God and spiritually enriching. |
| George Buchanan (St Andrews / Paris, 1506–1582) | Commentaries on the Psalms | Buchanan interprets the Psalm as urging believers to nurture peace and concord within the community. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | Doddridge highlights that spiritual unity strengthens worship and communal devotion. |
| John Brown (Edinburgh, 1722–1787) | Self-Interpreting Bible | Brown notes that God’s blessing flows through concord and mutual support among His people. |
UNITY OF MIND.
A tree can never make a forest. As there are different trees in the world, in the same manner, are different kinds of people in the world. Our physics are not the same. Some are tall while some are short. Some are fair in complexion while some are dark in complexion. Some are fat while some are slim. We are particularly different in our mentality and ideology. However, God still wants us to be one in mind, especially as brethren (believers). Psl. 133:1.
The event in Genesis 11:1-6 is a good description of the effect of unity. In verse one, the scripture says the whole earth was of one language, and one speech. By exposition, this means that they were of one mind and they spoke the same thing at all times. Whatever you hear from Mr. “A” is what you will hear from Mr. “B” and “C” and so on. They were not divided.
In verse 6, God himself had to voice out the effect of having one mind as a people. He said: “Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restricted from them, which they have imagined to do.” This means that even if it was evil they wanted to do, they will still be able to achieve it so long as they are one.
Disunity is a dangerous tool in the spirit. If God had not confounded their language and scattered them abroad in verses 7-8, they would have achieved their purpose solely because they are one. David also employed this dangerous weapon when he prayed in 2Samuel 15:31 that the Lord should turn the counsel of Ahithophel to foolishness. With this prayer, Absalom couldn’t go with the counsel of Ahithophel anymore but preferred that of Hushai (2 Samuel 17:14). The devil also knows about this dangerous tool and that is why before he does anything in the gathering of the people of God, he brings in disunity first of all.
The Bible says in Amos 3:3, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” It is very difficult except in hypocrisy. Their minds must agree for things to work out between two people. where there is no agreement, there can’t be a contract.
What God wants for believers is that we should be one no matter our differences. Our root is one and should be one. We are all planted in Christ Jesus. No matter the different kinds of trees that make up the forest, they all take nutrients from a source called the “Soil”. As brethren, our only source is Christ. No matter our ideologies, physiques or background, our source of spiritual life should still be Christ. As much as Christ is formed in us (Galatians 4:19), our physical world is also transformed into his own mould.
PRAYER:
Father, help the believers to stand as one and don't allow the devil to have his way among us again in Jesus' name
