Psalm 133

"Dwelling together"

Purpose: To celebrate the blessings of covenant living

Content: Living in YHWH's covenant community (facilitated by the High Priest) brings delight and never-ending blessing (as abundant as the dew).

Message: The High Priest connects the covenant community with YHWH's blessings.

Author: anonymous

Videos

Poetic Features Video

Video forthcoming

Exegetical Issues Video

Video forthcoming

Overview

Translation

Click 'Expand' to the right to see our Close-but-Clear translation of Psalm 133.

Expand

1. The song of the ascents. By David.

Look! How good and delightful

where brothers dwell together.

2. [The pleasantness of brothers dwelling together is] like the finest oil on the head, flowing down

onto the beard, the beard of Aaron;

which flows down onto the collar of his garments.

3. [The pleasantness of brothers dwelling together is] like the dew of Hermon, which flows down onto the hills of Zion.

For there YHWH has commanded the blessing

of life everlasting.

The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.

For links to other translations of Psalm 133, click here.

Verse-by-Verse

Click the link to view all of Psalm 133 Verse-by-Verse, or click on an individual verse below.

• v. 1
• v. 2
• v. 3a
• v. 3b-c

Layer-by-Layer

Psalm Overview

• Grammar
• Semantics
• Story behind the Psalm
• Discourse
• Poetics

Exegetical Issues

• The Meaning of שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם יָחַד in Ps 133:1 (Draft)
• The Antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד in Ps. 133:2 (Draft)
• The Function and Scope of כִּי in Ps. 133:3 (Draft)