Approved/133/Expanded Paraphrase
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Expanded Paraphrase |
|---|---|---|
| שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הִנֵּ֣ה מַה־טּ֖וֹב וּמַה־נָּעִ֑ים שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים גַּם־יָֽחַד׃ | 1 | [Belonging to] the song of the Israelites' ascents up to Jerusalem, where the temple was, for holy festivals. This psalm was written By David. Look, how good and how right that brothers (the twelve brothers of Israel, from whom the twelve tribes descended, so representing all the families of Israel) dwell in the land—but even dwell together, they travel from all over the country (north and south) for the sake of worshiping YHWH in Jerusalem! |
| כַּשֶּׁ֚מֶן הַטּ֨וֹב עַל־הָרֹ֗אשׁ יֹרֵ֗ד עַל־הַזָּ֫קָ֥ן זְקַ֥ן־אַֽהֲרֹ֑ן שֶׁ֜יֹּרֵ֗ד עַל־פִּ֥י מִדּוֹתָֽיו׃ | 2 | Brothers dwelling together is a blessing that flows from YHWH. [It is] like the valuable anointing oil on the head which is a picture of YHWH's election and blessing of priests. When it is flowing down onto the beard, the beard of Aaron, it is a reminder of the consecration of the first high priest of Israel, which initiated the covenant, the source and guarantee of YHWH's acceptance of Israel into relationship with God. The anointing of the priesthood is a blessing from God to the people because it provides them with someone who seeks God's forgiveness (Exod 32:11-14; Lev 16:15-16) and blessings on their behalf (Num 6:24-26). The oil which flows down abundantly over Aaron's beard and onto the collar of his priestly garments, covering everything, is an image of the abundant blessings flowing from God to his people. |
| כְּטַ֥ל־חֶרְמ֗וֹן שֶׁיֹּרֵד֘ עַל־הַרְרֵ֪י צִ֫יּ֥וֹן כִּ֚י שָׁ֨ם׀ צִוָּ֣ה יְ֖הוָה אֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה חַ֜יִּ֗ים עַד־הָֽעוֹלָֽם׃ | 3 | Likewise, when brothers gather in Jerusalem to dwell together and with YHWH, there in Jerusalem blessings come down from heaven: [it is] like the life-giving dew of Mount Hermon, the highest mountain in Israel. This dew, which flows down abundantly from the north onto the hills of Zion in the south, waters the lands all around Jerusalem, enabling crops to grow and blessing the entire nation. This gift of water for the lands symbolizes all of YHWH's blessings on the land and the absence of covenant curses, enabling life to flourish. For it is there, in Jerusalem, that YHWH chose to make his dwelling place (Ps 132:13-14) and to live among his people; it is there that YHWH has sent the blessing—life everlasting, that is, ongoing life in the land in covenant unity with each other and with YHWH, mediated by the priesthood. Jerusalem is where it all originated and where we come to celebrate it. |