the Second Week after Easter
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Contemporary English Version
Psalms 133:3
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It is like the dew of Hermonfalling on the mountains of Zion.For there the Lord has appointed the blessing—life forevermore.
Like the dew of Hermon, That comes down on the hills of Tziyon: For there the LORD gives the blessing, Even life forevermore.
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
It is like the dew of Mount Hermon falling on the hills of Jerusalem. There the Lord gives his blessing of life forever.
It is like the dew of Hermon, which flows down upon the hills of Zion. Indeed, that is where the Lord has decreed a blessing will be available—eternal life.
It is like the dew of [Mount] Hermon Coming down on the hills of Zion; For there the LORD has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.
It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For the LORD commanded the blessing there—life forever.
Like the dew of Hermon, That comes down on the hills of Zion: For there Yahweh gives the blessing, Even life forevermore.
And as the dew of Hermon, which falleth vpon the mountaines of Zion: for there the Lord appointed the blessing and life for euer.
It is like the dew of HermonComing down upon the mountains of Zion;For there, Yahweh commanded the blessing—life forever.
It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the LORD has bestowed the blessing of life forevermore.
It is like the dew of Hermon that settles on the mountains of Tziyon. For it was there that Adonai ordained the blessing of everlasting life.
As the dew of Hermon that descendeth on the mountains of Zion; for there hath Jehovah commanded the blessing, life for evermore.
It is like a gentle rain from Mount Hermon falling on Mount Zion. It is there that the Lord has promised his blessing of eternal life.
Like the dew of Hermon that falls upon the mount of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
It is like the dew on Mount Hermon, falling on the hills of Zion. That is where the Lord has promised his blessing— life that never ends.
It is like the dew of Hermon that runs down upon the mountains of Zion, because there Yahweh commanded the blessing— life forever.
like the dew of Hermon coming down on the mountains of Zion; for there Jehovah commanded the blessing: life till everlasting.
For there the LORDE promised his blessynge, and life for euermore.
Like the dew of Hermon, That cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: For there Jehovah commanded the blessing, Even life for evermore.
Like the dew of Hermon, which comes down on the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord gave orders for the blessing, even life for ever.
Like the dew of Hermon, that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion; {N}even life for ever.
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dewe that descended vpon the mountaines of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing: euen life for euermore.
[It is also] like vnto the deawe of Hermon: whiche falleth downe vpon the hyll of Sion. For God hath commaunded his blessing: [and] life euerlasting [to be] where is [suche concorde.]
As the dew of Aermon, that comes down on the mountains of Sion: for there, the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for ever.
Like the dew of Hermon, that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
that goith doun in to the hil of Sion. For there the Lord sente blessing; and lijf til in to the world.
Like the dew of Hermon, That comes down on the mountains of Zion: For there Yahweh commanded the blessing, Even life for evermore.
As the dew of Hermon, [and as the dew] that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, [even] life for ever.
It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing-- Life forevermore.
Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.
It is like the morning water of Hermon coming down upon the hills of Zion. For there the Lord has given the gift of life that lasts forever.
It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.
Like the dew of Hermon, which descended upon the mountains of Zion, - for, there, did Yahweh command the blessing, Life, unto times age-abiding?
(132-3) As the dew of Hermon, which descendeth upon mount Sion. For there the Lord hath commanded blessing, and life for evermore.
It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life for evermore.
As dew of Hermon -- That cometh down on hills of Zion, For there Jehovah commanded the blessing -- Life unto the age!
It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forever.
Contextual Overview
(A song for worship.)
It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace. 2 It is as beautiful as olive oil poured on Aaron's head and running down his beard and the collar of his robe. 3 It is like the dew from Mount Hermon, falling on Zion's mountains, where the Lord has promised to bless his people with life forevermore.Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
As the dew of Hermon: Mr. Maundrell says, "We were sufficiently instructed by experience what the holy Psalmist means by the dew of Hermon,' our tents being as wet with it as if it had rained all night." Some suppose that Zion here means a part of Mount Hermon - Deuteronomy 4:48, but it is not written Sion here, but Zion, which is at Jerusalem. Deuteronomy 3:8, Deuteronomy 3:9, Deuteronomy 4:48, Joshua 13:11
for there the Lord: Psalms 42:8, Leviticus 25:21, Deuteronomy 28:8
even life: Psalms 16:11, Psalms 21:4, John 4:14, John 5:24, John 5:29, John 6:50, John 6:51, John 6:68, John 11:25, John 11:26, Romans 5:21, Romans 6:23, 1 John 2:25, 1 John 5:11, Revelation 1:18
Reciprocal: Genesis 27:28 - of the dew Joshua 11:3 - Hermon Joshua 12:1 - from the 1 Chronicles 5:23 - Hermon Psalms 42:6 - the hill Mizar Psalms 89:12 - Hermon Ezekiel 34:26 - my hill Haggai 2:19 - from John 5:39 - ye think
Gill's Notes on the Bible
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion,.... Hermon was a very high hill beyond Jordan; the Sidonians called it Sirion, and the Amorites Shenir, Deuteronomy 3:8; hence Shenir and Hermon are mentioned together, Song of Solomon 4:8; and sometimes Sion or Seon, Deuteronomy 4:48; and is the Zion here intended; for the dew of Hermon could never descend on the mountain of Zion near Jerusalem, which was a hundred miles distant; besides Zion was but one mountain, these many. Hermon was remarkable for its dew, which still continues: a traveller c, one of our own country, and whose fidelity is to be depended on, lying in tents near this hill one night, says,
"we were sufficiently instructed by experience what the holy psalmist means by the dew of Hermon; our tents being as wet with it as if it had rained all night.''
The mountains of Zion were those that were near to Zion, and not the mountain itself, those that were round about Jerusalem, on which the dew also fell in great plenty; and to which unity among brethren is here compared, because it comes from God in heaven, as the dew does. Saints are taught of God to love one another; contentions and quarrels come from lusts within, but this comes from above, from the Father of lights; and, because of its gentle nature, this makes men pure, and peaceable, and gentle, and easy to be entreated; as the dew falls gently in a temperate and moderate air, not in stormy and blustering weather: and because of its cooling nature; it allays the heats and animosities in the minds of men; and because it makes the saints fruitful, and to grow and increase in good works;
for there the Lord commanded the blessing; either in the mountains of Zion; so Kimchi: and if Mount Zion is meant by it, the church, often signified thereby, is the dwelling place of the Lord; here he records his name and blesses; here his word is preached, which is full of blessings; and here ordinances are administered, which are blessed of God to his people. Theodoret thinks some respect is had to the pouring down of the Spirit on the apostles in Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost: but rather the sense is, where brethren dwell together in unity, there the God of love and peace is; the Gospel of the grace of God is continued; and the ordinances of it made beneficial to the souls of men, they meeting together in peace and concord; see 2 Corinthians 13:11. God is said to "command the blessing" when he promises it, and makes it known to his people, or bestows it on them, Psalms 105:8;
[even] life for evermore: the great blessing of all, which includes all others, and in which they issue, the promise of the covenant, the blessing of the Gospel; which is in the hands of Christ, and comes through him to all his people; to the peacemakers particularly, that live in love and peace; these shall live for ever in a happy eternity, and never die, or be hurt of the second death.
c Maundrell's Travels, p. 57. Ed. 7.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
As the dew of Hermon ... - On the situation of Mount Hermon, see the notes at Psalms 89:12. The literal rendering of this passage would be, âLike the dew of Hermon which descends on the mountains of Zion.â According to our version two things are referred to: the dew of Hermon, and the dew on the mountains of Zion, But this is not in the original. There no dew is referred to but that which belongs to Hermon. It has, of course, been made a question how the dew of Hermon, a remote mountain, could be said to descend on the mountains of Zion, and our translators have sought to solve the difficulty by inserting the words âand as the dew.â Some have supposed that the proper interpretation is to refer the comparison in the passage to the dew of Hermon, and that all which follows is an application of the thought: âLike the dew of Hermon is the influence which comes down upon the mountains of Zion,â etc.
The most probable and plausible interpretation, however, it seems to me, is, that the mind of the poet was turned to the dew of Hermon - to the gentleness, and the copiousness, and the vivifying nature of that dew - diffusing beauty and abundance all around - and that he thought of that dew, or dew like that, as descending on the mountains of Zion. Not that the dew of Hermon actually descended there; but when changing the comparison, in illustration of brotherly love, from oil to dew, he most naturally thought (perhaps from some former observation) of the dew of Hermon, and immediately thought of Zion as if that dew descended there: that is, love, unity, and concord there would be as if the dew of Hermon should descend on the barren hills of Zion or Jerusalem, there diffusing beauty, abundance, fertility. The comparison of the influence of brotherly love, or unity, with dew is not a forced or unnatural one. So calm, so gentle, so refreshing on the tender grain, on the young plants, on the flowers, is dew, that it is a striking image of the influences which produce brotherly love and harmony.
For there the Lord commanded the blessing - He appointed that as the place of worship; as the seat of his residence; the source of all holy influences. See Psalms 78:67-69, note; Psalms 87:2, note.
Even life for evermore - literally, âLife to eternity.â That is, such influences go from that place as to lead to eternal life, or as to secure eternal life. It is in Zion, in his church, that he has made known the way to eternal life, and the means by which it may be obtained. To the end of the world this beautiful psalm will be sung in the church alike as expressing the charm which there is in unity among brethren and in the church; and as tending to promote that unity whose beauty it is designed to commend. Happy will be that day when the church shall be so united that it may be sung everywhere, as expressing what is, and not merely what should be.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 133:3. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion — This was not Mount Zion, צ××× tsiyon, in Jerusalem, but Sion, ש××× which is a part of Hermon, see Deuteronomy 4:48: "Mount Sion, which is Hermon." On this mountain the dew is very copious. Mr. Maundrell says that "with this dew, even in dry weather, their tents were as wet as if it had rained the whole night." This seems to show the strength of the comparison.
For there — Where this unity is.
The Lord commanded the blessing — That is, an everlasting life. There he pours out his blessings, and gives a long and happy life.
For other particulars, see the commentators passim, and the following analysis.
ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THIRD PSALM
In this Psalm the blessings of peace and unity are recommended and described, whether in the Church, family, or kingdom.
I. It is, says the prophet, a good and pleasant thing, c., Psalms 133:1.
II. He declares both by similitudes.
1. The pleasantness, by the ointment with which the high priest was anointed.
2. The goodness, by the dew which fell upon the mountains.
3. But in plainer terms, by the blessing of God upon the head of the peaceful.
1. The prophet begins with an encomium of peace, unity, and concord.
1. "Behold." Take notice of it in its effects.
2. "How good and pleasant," c. He admires, but cannot express it.
3. The encomium itself is expressed by two epithets: 1. It is good, and brings much profit. 2. It is pleasant, and brings much content with it.
4. The concord itself is thus expressed: Brethren, either in a Church, family, or kingdom, should be of one soul, and intent on the common good.
II. The pleasantness is compared to "the precious ointment upon the head."
1. All benefit from this concord princes, nobles, and people. The head, beard, and skirts.
2. It sends forth a sweet and reviving savour.
3. It is as balsam poured into wounds.
The profit he compares to the dews: "As the dew of Hermon," c., gently descending, and fructifying and enriching the ground.
And this he sets down without any metaphor: "For there the Lord commanded the blessing," &c. which approbation he manifests by the abundance he pours where concord and unity are found.
1. He commands his blessing. Makes all creatures useful to them.
2. His blessing is prosperity, good success. To bless is to benefit.
3. This he calls life for with troubles, griefs, &c., a man's life is no life. A quiet life those shall have who live in peace, without dissensions respecting religion or in matters connected with the state.
