Psalm 133 Semantics

Psalm Overview

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

About the Semantics Layer

Semantics is the study of how language is used to represent meaning. The goal of semantic analysis for interpreting and translating the Bible is to understand the meaning of words and how they relate to each other in context. We want to understand what is implicit about word meaning – and thus assumed by the original audience – and make it explicit – and thus clear for us who are removed by time, language, and culture. The semantics layer is composed of three major branches: lexical semantics, phrase-level semantics and verbal semantics. (Click 'Expand' to the right for more information.)

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About Lexical Semantics

One major branch of semantic study is lexical semantics, which refers to the study of word meanings. It examines semantic range (=possible meanings of a word), the relationship between words (e.g. synonymy, hyponymy), as well as the relationship between words and larger concepts (conceptual domains). One component of our approach involves not only the study of the Hebrew word meaning, but also of our own assumptions about word meaning in modern languages. Because the researcher necessarily starts with their own cultural assumptions (in our case, those of Western-trained scholars), this part of the analysis should be done afresh for every culture.

For a detailed description of our method, see the Lexical Semantics Creator Guidelines.

About Phrase-level Semantics

The Phrase-level Semantics layer analyses the meaning of syntactic units which are larger than the level of the word and smaller than the level of the clause. Specifically, this layer analyses the meaning of prepositional phrases (e.g., לְאִישׁ), construct phrases (e.g., אִישׁ אֱלֹהִים), phrases formed by a coordinating waw conjunction (e.g., אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה) and noun phrases which consist of a noun plus a determiner (e.g., הָאִישׁ) or a quantifier (e.g., כֹּל אִישׁ).

For a detailed description of our method, see the Phrase-level Semantics Creator Guidelines.

About Verbal Semantics

This sub-layer focuses on the relationship between verbs, time and modality. These are important categories for interpretation and translation, and how one analyses a verb can have a significant effect on how it is rendered. This sub-layer has been through several iterations, as it strives to accomplish two things: (1) Transparency for the native Hebrew structures, and (2) Transparency for the interpretation necessary to translate the verbal semantics into other languages.

For a detailed description of our method, see the Verbal Semantics Creator Guidelines.

Semantics Visuals for Psalm 133

Lexical and Phrase-level Semantics Diagram

(For more information, click "Phrase-level Legend" below.)

Phrase-level Legend

Visualization	Description
	The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
	The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
	When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
	The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

• See our growing collection of Venn Diagrams, not only for Psalm 133, but for all of the psalms.
• See SDBH on Psalm 133.

v. 1

• The superscription of this psalm tells us that this is a psalm (song) of ascents. For more information about this special group of psalms, see our page Psalms of Ascent.

The repetition of how (מַה) in the phrase how good and how delightful serves to emphasize each adjective good and delightful, and gives this whole phrase high prominence in the psalm. In fact, every other clause in the psalm builds off of 1b-c, by either expanding on the idea via imagery (vv. 2-3a), or giving the reason/grounds for the idea (3b-c). This phrase is further made prominent by the word Look! (הִנֵּה) that precedes it, a classic attention-getting device in Hebrew. See the Venn diagram below for more details on the similarities and differences between the ancient Hebrew and modern English understanding of this idea.

• The Hebrew word for good (טּוֹב) is the same one used throughout Genesis 1, when God repeatedly described his creation as "good".
• The meaning of the phrase brothers dwell together (שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם־יָחַד) is ambiguous: does it refer to unity among people, in general? Or, is it referring to a more specific instance of unity, or perhaps unity among specific parties? See our exegetical issue The meaning of שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם יָחַד in Ps. 133:1 for a full discussion. In short, we favor the interpretation that the "dwelling together" in this psalm refers to a specific (recurring) instance of unity—the holy festival gatherings at the Temple in Jerusalem, where the whole nation would gather three times a year. See the Venn diagram below for more details on the similarities and differences between the ancient Hebrew and modern English understanding of this word translated as "dwell".

• Brothers (אַחִים) in this instance refers to "the extended family structure of ancient Israel, where brothers would often live in proximity to one another (Deut 25:5), giving the family greater social prominence and security." However, in this psalm's later usage in Israel's worship, it probably was expanded to mean to unity within the spiritual community, as well.
• The Hebrew verb dwell is an infinitive form (literally, "to dwell" or "the dwelling").

v. 2

• This verse supplies the first instance of imagery that expands on the thesis statement that brothers dwelling together is good and pleasant in v. 1. The imagery is that of anointing oil flowing down the head, beard, and garments of Aaron (the name here serving as a symbol for the high priesthood). This oil is a fine, spiced oil that was applied to the head (anointing) to mark special occasions, such as the ordination of a priest (Exod 30:23–25, 30), or to welcome guests and refresh their skin in an arid climate (Pss 23:5; 92:10; 141:5). It was associated with joy and beauty. Among many other possible meanings, perhaps the two most prominent associations between this oil imagery and the psalm's theme, unity, are:

1. Setting apart as holy/fit for serving YHWH. The immediate image is that of the high priest being anointed to begin his service in the Temple, serving as intermediary between YHWH and his covenant people. Perhaps this also speaks to the people's unity as being the catalyst for blessing from YHWH (as supported by 3bc); we might imagine the people being consecrated as holy/fit for service to YHWH through their obedience to the commands to live peaceably with each other and attend the holy festivals in Jerusalem.

2. Refreshment. Just as oil on the head would refresh a person in a hot and dry climate, so would unity bring spiritual refreshment to the people and land (see v. 3a) of Israel. See the imagery table below for a more detailed analysis.

v. 3

• Though we have glossed the Hebrew הַרְרֵי צִיּוֹן as hills of Zion, keep in mind that this word was generally understood to describe a landform that was a bit higher than a hill...between a small hill and a tall mountain (like Hermon).
• The word there (שָׁם) is a key word in this verse and in the whole psalm. Not only is it marked for focus by means of the word order, but it also serves as an important connection with '"look" (הִנֵּה) in v. 1b (both deictic particles, in a psalm where deictics [location and movement] are big themes). "In a linear reading this refers back to the nearest spatial term, in this case Mount Zion. In a structural-circular reading, however, it harks back to the other single line, v.1, and refers to the place 'where brothers really dwell together'."
• The verb translated as sent (צִוָּה) is often glossed as "commanded"; but when used with blessing, the sense is "to send". "Hebrew may use its perfective form with the same, present/habitual significance ('the gnomic perfective')" ...meaning that, here, the qatal "may be used with habitual meaning in the sense that a single instance exemplifies a recurrent situation."

Verbal Semantics Chart

(For more information, click "Verbal Legend" below.)

Verbal Legend

Conjugations
qatal	yiqtol-jussive
wayyiqtol (following qatal)*	cohortative
yiqtol	participle
wayyiqtol (following yiqtol)*	wayyiqtol (following participle)*
weyiqtol	inf. construct
weqatal	inf. absolute
*Wayyiqtol is colored a darker version of the conjugation it follows.

Relative tense arrows
Relative tense arrows (placed within the appropriate 'Fut/Pres/Past' column) are color coded according to the conjugation of the verb. The arrows in the table below are colored according to the typical uses of the conjugations.
After/posterior/future	Imminent future	Simultaneous/right now	Recent past	Before/anterior/past
← ←	↤	↓↓↓	↦	→ →

Aspect
	Continuous	Habitual or iterative	Stative	Perfective
Encoded in words	⟲	⟲⟲⟲	⎯	•
Inferable from context	⟲	⟲⟲⟲	⎯	•

Reference point movement
Movement	No movement
⇐	⇍

Modality
indicative	purpose/result
jussive	necessity
imperative	possible
cohortative	probable
wish	ability
(past) conditional	interrogative, etc.

If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.

Emendations/Revocalizations legend
*Emended text*	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation.
*Revocalized text*	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization.

Bibliography

Allen, Leslie. 1983. Psalms 101-150. Vol. 3. Word Biblical Commentary 21. Waco: Word Books.

Fokkelman, J.P. 2003. Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis (Vol 3: The Remaining 65 Psalms). Vol. 3. Studia Semitica Neerlandica. Van Gorcum.

Longman, Tremper, III, and David E. Garland, eds. 2008. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms (Revised Edition). Vol. 5. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.