Psalm 133

A Song of Ascents, of David

“The brief didactic psalm employs two beautiful similes to illustrate the beauty and value of unity” Miller, 415. The two similes are the oil and dew.

“The pilgrims came from many different walks of life, regions, and tribes, as they gathered for one purpose: the worship of the Lord in Jerusalem” VanGemeren, 815.

133:1 Behold, how good- “It is interesting that he gives no explanation as to why unity is good. Perhaps he does not need to do so, because this should be self-evident to everyone” Willis, vol. 3, 95. The word good is used in Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 31. It is not good that man live alone in Gen. 2:18. “The word good in Ps. 133:1 reminds the reciter of God’s provision of the community and relatedness for humanity” NICOT, 938.

and how pleasant it is- Psalm 16:6, 11; 135:3; 147:1 “Again, the poet gives no reason for this” Willis, 95. “Strife demands more energy, whereas peaceful unity means the corporate body can reach common goals with less stress. If individual cooperate, then their efforts are multiplied” Longman, 439.

133:2 It is like the precious oil upon the head- The word translated precious in vs. 2 is the same Hebrew word translated good in vs. 1. “The pouring of oil over the head seems to have been an act of hospitality, signaling joy and relatedness (see Pss. 23:5; 92:10; Luke 7:46) as well as an official act of consecrating kings and priests” McCann, 1214. Joy in Ecc. 9:7-8; Matt. 6:16-17.

Coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard- Lev. 21:5 The verb coming down is used three times- vss. 2, 2, 3. This stresses the origin of the blessings from heaven- Broyles, 474.

Unity “is like precious oil that runs down on the high priest’s beard, giving off a sweet-smelling fragrance (see Exodus 29:7; 30:22-33)” Lev. 8:12 Willis, 95. “Its fragrance could not be contained (Exodus 29:21)” Kidner, 453. “The anointed priest, in premonarchical days in particular, stood as a symbol of unity” Milller, 415. “The breastplate with the names of all 12 tribes. The oil thus symbolized the unity of the nation in worship under their consecrated priest” B.K. 888.

133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon- “The dew is understood to be an agency of fruitfulness” Alter, 463. Isaiah 26:19; Hosea 14:5 Mount Hermon is the only snow-capped mountain in Israel- Longman, 439. “Mount Hermon in the north at the headwaters of the Jordan is the highest elevation in Palestine. A spur of the Anti-Lebanon mountains. Mount Hermon reaches a height of over nine thousand feet. Heavy dew is to found on it slopes early in the summer mornings even during the dry season” Miller, 416.

Coming down upon the mountains of Zion- Ps. 48:2; 68:15-16; 87:2 “Situated more than one hundred air miles from Jerusalem, its dew could not literally come down upon the mountains of Zion. The simile is another allusion to the unifying effect that Jerusalem has on the nation” Miller, 416. Because of the geographical distance Alter, 463, emends the text to parched mountains instead of mountains of Zion.

Zion is stressed in the songs of ascents- Ps. 125:1; 126:1; 128:5; 129:5; 132:13; 133:3; 134:3.

Psalm 133 and Jesus

John 17:20-23; Eph. 2:11-22

Mark 14:3, 6 The anointing oil was poured down upon Jesus.

Matthew 10:34-37; Luke 12:51-53 Jesus is greater even than family and unity.

133:3 Mt. Zion as the place of blessing- Heb. 12:22-24; 13:14-16; Gal. 4:26; Rev. 14:1

A Song of Ascents

This is considerably longer than the other songs of Ascents- NICOT, 933. “Its length seems to signal its special importance” McCann, 1210. This is a royal psalm along the line of Psalms 2, 45, 72, 89, 101 and it also stresses God’s choice of Zion like Psalms 46, 48, 76, 84, 87, 122. “Psalm 132 impressively articulates the theological rationale for making the pilgrimage- namely, Zion is God’s chosen place (vv. 13-14; see Pss. 122:1-2, 9; 125:1-2; 126:1; 128:5; 129:5; 133:3; 134:3), as well as the site of David’s throne” McCann, 1210.

132:1-5 David’s swore to build God’s house

132:1 Remember, O LORD on David’s behalf- The request is like Neh. 5:19; 13:14, 22, 31.

Remember is used in Ex. 2:23-25; 6:5; 32:13; Lev. 26:42; Deut. 9:27. In context of the royal psalms see Ps. 89:47, 50.

132:2 How he swore to the LORD- The word oath or vow is not found of David’s words in II Sam. 7 or I Chron. 17 but we do see his desire to build the Lord’s house.

132:3 Surely I will not enter My house- The quote of vs. 2 gives rise to the quotation in vs. 3-5.

Nor lie on my bed- “The subordination of personal life, and comforts (are sacrificed) to the great priority” Motyer, 575.

132:4 I will not give sleep to my eyes- Prov. 6:4

Or slumber to my eyelids-

Nor lie on my bed- “The subordination of personal life, and comforts (are sacrificed) to the great priority” Motyer, 575.

132:5 Until I find a place for the LORD- Acts 7:46

132:6-9 The ark of the covenant

132:7 Let us go into His dwelling place- The verb go is the same as vs. 3 where David will not go into his tent. The word dwelling place in Ps. 74:7; 78:60; 84:1; 87:2. The same word is used in vs. 5. The statement of vs. 6 gives rise to the quotation of vs. 7-9. This call reminds us of Ps. 99:5, 9; 122:1.

132:10-12 The Lord’s oath to David

132:10 For the sake of David Your servant- I Kings 15:4-5 David is mentioned in the psalm in vs. 1, 10, 11, 17.

132:11 A truth from which He will not turn back- Acts 2:30 This word translated turn back is the same word translated turn away in vs. 10.

132:13-18 The LORD’s choice of Zion

132:13 For the LORD has chosen Zion- Ps. 46:4; 48:1-2; 78:67-68, 70; 87; 122:6-9 “Implicit in the oath is the choice of Zion” Motyer, 576. “The human response was all too cynical, treating God’s choice as something to be exploited; a shelter against His judgment (Jer. 7, especially vs. 8-15) or an asset to be commercialized (Mt. 21:12f.)” Kidner, 451.

A Song of Ascents, of David

It is attributed to David. “It is not against high position that is divinely given, but it does model a critical attitude toward pure blind ambition” Longman, 433.

“This personal prayer (vss. 1-2) has a lesson in it that needs to be shared by the nation (vs. 3)” Miller, 411. “This simple, concise, and affecting expression of humility shows no signs of cultic or public function,and is a good illustration of how the psalm as a poetic form of spiritual expressions often stands outside the generic categories that scholars have constructed” Alden, 457.

131:1 O LORD, my heart is not proud- The word proud is used of Uzziah in II Chron. 26:16, Hezekiah in II Chron. 32:25, the king of Tyre in Ezek. 28:2, 17.

nor my eyes haughty- Pss. 18:27; 101:5; Prov. 6:17; 30:13 “It would be easy to make this verse an excuse to avoid the challenges of life. But the sin rejected in 1a is pride, while the sin of 1b is presumption. By the first of these, one undervalues other people; by the second, one overestimates and overreaches oneself, forgetting, e.g. Deut. 29:29” Kidner, 447.

Nor do I involve myself in great matters- Jer. 45:5

or in things too difficult for me- Deut. 17:8; 30:11 “These two words are used in Pss. 86:10; 136:4; and 145:5-6 to describe the works of God in the world. The psalmist has not sought to do or take credit for Godlike acts in the world” NICOT, 931.

131:2 Surely, I have composed and quieted my soul- Composed is used in II Sam. 22:34; Ps. 18:33 of God making his feet sure and in Isaiah 28:25 of leveling ground. The verb quieted is used in Ps. 37:7 and translated rest.

My soul is like a weaned child within me- A child not weaned “is fussy and restless” Longman, 433. But here “he was content without that which used to seem indispensable. A mature believer leaves the clamor of proud ambition and rests in the Lord” B.K, 887

131:3 O Israel, hope in the LORD- 130:5, 7 To hope in the LORD “is the antithesis of pride” B.K., 887. “We do not know, but its call to hope in the Lord links it with 130 and makes it the testimony of a sinner forgiven: humbled by the mercy of God, at peace within because at peace above” Motyer, 575.

From this time forth and forever- 113:2; 121:8; 125:2

Jesus and Psalm 131
“This demure little psalm anticipates the object lesson of Matt. 18:1-4” Kidner, 447. “It is freedom from the nagging of self-seeking” Kidner, 448. “The OT is not alone in making a child the model of humble faith in God” Allen, 199.

Matt. 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17 If we do not enter the kingdom as a child we do not enter it at all.

“In Philippians 2 we are shown the constructive answer to the first of these tempations, in the honor of being a servant; and in Philippians 3, I Cor. 2, the answer to the second, not by stifling adventurousness but by rightly directing it” Kidner, 447. This psalm “embodies the lessons of both Philippians 2:3ff. (‘Do nothing from selfishness or conceit’) as 4:11ff. (‘I have learned…to be content’)” Kidner, 448.

John 4:34 If we make His ambition ours then we free ourselves from many problems

The word used for in vs. 1 in the LXX for heart being proud is exalted and it is used of Christ on the cross in John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32.
It is also used in Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14.