Psalms 133:2

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; 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. The 'holy anointing oil' consisted of olive oil mixed with four principal spices-myrrh, sweet cinnamon, sweet calamis, and cassia (). The high priest Aaron's head was anointed with the holy oil poured upon it (; ; ), and flowing down upon the beard. In this copious effusion on the head his anointing differed from tibet of the priests, who were merely streaked...

Verse Psalms 133:2. _LIKE THE PRECIOUS OINTMENT_] The composition of this holy anointing oil may be seen, Exodus 30:23; _sweet cinnamon, sweet calamus, cassia lignea_, and _olive oil_. The odour of this must have been very agreeable, and serves here as a metaphor to point out the exquisite excellence of brotherly love. _RAN DOWN UPON THE BEARD_] The oil was poured upon the head of Aaron so profusely as to run down upon his garments. It is customary in the east to pour out the oil on the head so profusely as to reach every limb....

IT IS LIKE THE PRECIOUS OINTMENT UPON THE HEAD - That is, which was poured upon the head of the high priest, when consecrated to the holy office. The Hebrew is, “the good ointment.” For a description of the ointment which was used in the consecration of the high priest, and the holy things of the sanctuary, see Exodus 30:22. Compare the notes at Isaiah 61:3, on the phrase “oil of joy.” Anointing with oil was common on festivals and joyous occasions (see the notes at Psalms 23:5), and hence, it became an emblem of anything joyous, happy, beautiful; and the idea seemed to be carried to the highest degree when it was connected with the anointing of a high priest to the sacred duties of his office. Th

EXPOSITION A SHORT psalm in praise of unity and brotherly harmony. As Dr. Kay observes, "The preservation of this unity was the object of the selection of ONE place, to which the tribes should go up on pilgrimage three times a year." And the intercommunion with each other, which the pilgrimages fostered, was certainly one of the chief means by which a unity of feeling and sentiment was kept up among the scattered members of the nation century after century. The pilgrimages were to the Israelites what the meetings at the Olympic and ether games were to the Greeks—at once witnesses to a belief in ethnic unity, and a strong and efficient bond of union. This psalm was therefore admirably fitted for a "pilgrim-song," which it is allowed on all hands to have been, and must have greatly helped the various classes of pilgrims-the spiritual and secular authorities, the rich, the poor, the citizen...

[IT IS] LIKE THE PRECIOUS OINTMENT UPON THE HEAD,.... The composition which Moses was ordered to make of the principal spices, and therefore called precious; and which was poured on the heads of kings and priests, when they were anointed with it, Exodus 30:23; THAT RAN DOWN UPON THE BEARD, [EVEN] AARON'S BEARD; this was put upon the head of Aaron when he was anointed, and so on any other high priest, and trickled down to his beard; see Exodus 29:7. The reasons Kimchi and Ben Melech give, why the anointing of Aaron and other priests is mentioned, and not the anointing of a king, or of David himself, are, because the anointing of Aaron was first, and also more public and better known by the people; THAT WENT DOWN TO THE SKIRTS OF HIS GARMENTS; or, "the mouth" or "opening of

PSALM 120-134 The Psalms of Degrees Fifteen brief Psalms follow, called songs of degrees, or, ascents. They were in all probability used by Israel going up to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrate the feasts of the Lord--”Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, a testimony for Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.” They are indeed Psalms of “the goings-up” for we rise higher and higher as we read through them. Prophetically they give us again the steps from trial and suffering to the glorious consummation. As they are so simple in language and construction no lengthy annotations are needed. Psalms 120:1 begins with distress, picturing again the suffering of the righteous godly remnant. In Psalms 121:1 the Keeper of Israel, the Covenant Keeping God, is revealed

CXXXIII. FRATERNAL LOVE. The general sense is clear, but it presents difficulties due to the intrusion of glosses. The unity spoken of here is the special good-will which becomes those who join in Temple worship. It is compared to precious oil with which Aaron was consecrated (Leviticus 8:30), and which was used in such abundance that it streamed from his beard to the collar of his vestment. Next this fraternal unity is compared with the life-giving dew (p. 29) which falls abundantly on Hermon in the north, its freshness being also felt far south on Mount Zion. [See also OTJC 2, p. 212. A. S. P.]...

OINTMENT. oil (Exodus 30:23). RAN DOWN. descended. Exodus 29:7; Leviticus 8:12; Leviticus 21:10. WENT DOWN. descended, as in Psalms 133:3. TO THE SKIRTS, &C.. to the opening of his robes (see Exodus 28:32). Hebrew. mouth (or opening)....

It is like the goodly oil upon the head descending upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, Which descendeth upon the collar of his garments. Oil was a symbol of joy and festivity (Psalms 45:7), but it is not common oil that is mentioned here. The brotherly concord of the dwellers in Jerusalem is compared to the sacred oil with which the High-priest was anointed (Exodus 30:23 ff.). This sacred oil was _poured_upon Aaron's head (Exodus 29:7; Leviticus 8:12; Leviticus 21:10) when he was consecrated to the office of high-priest, whereas the ordinary p

DISCOURSE: 727 THE BENEFIT OF CHRISTIAN UNITY Psalms 133:1. _Behold, how goad and how pleasant it it for Brethren to dwell together in unity! 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: as the dew of Herman, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore,_ IN this psalm we have a commendation of Christian love and unity. It seems to have been written some time after David’s entire possession of the whole kingdom; when the tribes being all united under one head, the horrors of civil war were exchanged for the blessings of peace; and all who were brethren according to the flesh, enjoyed the fullest exercise of brotherly love, in union with each other, and in communion with their God. He seems to ha