This Psalm is commonly supposed to describe the blessings which flowed from the meeting of the Israelites at Jerusalem at the great religious festivals. Such meetings were a consecration of the whole nation; they diffused a spirit of brotherly harmony throughout it; they sustained and quickened the national life by bringing individuals into fellowship with Jehovah and with one another at the religious centre of His choice. Attractive as this view is, and natural as it may have been to apply the Psalm to these gatherings, it is questionable whether it was the sight of them which inspired the poet. “Dwelling together” implies more than a temporary sojourn for a few days; and it seems preferable to connect the Psalm with Nehemiah’s efforts to re-people Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:1 ff.). It presents an ideal to be aimed at. Old animosities are to be laid aside. Brethren are to dwell together as brethren should do. A strong and united metropolis, at once the religious and political centre of the country, will consecrate and invigorate the whole nation, and spread blessing through the body of which it is the head.

If the title of David could be regarded as authentic, the Psalm might refer to the reunion of the nation after the civil discords of the early years of his reign. It is however wanting in the Targum, and in some MSS of the LXX and of Jerome, and the language of the Psalm points to a post-exilic date for this as for the other Psalms of Ascent.

1. Behold &c.] The Psalmist seems to have before his eyes some instance of the blessing and the beauty of brotherly concord which prompts his song. May it not have been the enthusiasm of those who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem, when Nehemiah was restoring its civic and religious organisation (Nehemiah 11:2)?

for brethren to dwell together in unity] Lit. the dwelling of brethren also together: i.e. that the tie of intimate relationship denoted by the name of brethren should find outward expression in the gathering of Israelites to make their home in the mother-city, or, if the reference of the Psalm is to the great Feasts, in the reunions of the members of the nation at these periodical gatherings. By brethren he does not mean the members of a single family, but the members of the larger family of Israel, the whole nation. In unity is doubtless a correct interpretation of the Psalmist’s meaning, though it goes beyond the strict sense of the Heb. word, which only means together.

2. 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 (Psalm 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 priests were only sprinkled with it (Exodus 29:21). It would flow down upon his beard and on to his shoulders and his breast, upon which he bore the names of the Twelve Tribes (Exodus 28:9-12; Exodus 28:17-21), symbolising thereby the consecration of the whole nation of which he was the representative. The stream of perfumed oil, carefully compounded with aromatic spices, would diffuse its fragrance all around, symbolising the holy influence which should emanate from the chief religious representative of Israel, and from the nation which he represented. The point of the simile then seems to be, that as the sacred oil flowed down over Aaron’s shoulders, so the harmonious unity of those who dwell in Jerusalem will influence the whole nation for good. The same spirit will be diffused throughout the whole community. Cp. Psalms 122.

Aaron might denote any high-priest; but the Psalmist by the use of the present participles seems rather to intend to recall the scene of the consecration of Aaron himself (Leviticus 8). It might have been thought that he was alluding to some recent ceremony; but according to Jewish tradition, the sacred oil was wanting in the time of the Second Temple, and the high-priest was consecrated by investiture with the pontifical robes only.

It is a question whether the clause which descendeth upon the collar of his garments refers to the oil or to Aaron’s beard. The Massoretic accentuation (unless it is to be regarded as rhythmical and not syntactical) makes it refer to Aaron’s beard: the Ancient Versions take it to refer to the oil. In the former case the beard is thought of as connecting the head and the garments; but the latter interpretation is the more natural, and is supported by the fondness of the Psalms of Ascent for the repetition of words.

The collar not the skirts of the high-priest’s garment is denoted by the Heb. word, which means literally ‘mouth’ or ‘opening,’ i.e. the hole through which the head passed, or its bordering. Cp. Exodus 28:32; Exodus 39:23; Job 30:18.

3. Like dew of Hermon, which descendeth upon the mountains of Zion] There is no justification for inserting the words and as the dew, as in A.V. “The dews of Syrian nights are excessive; on many mornings it looks as if there had been heavy rain” (G. A. Smith, Hist. Geogr. p. 65); and the dew that falls on the slopes of the snow-clad Hermon is particularly copious. Dew is a symbol for what is refreshing, quickening, invigorating; and the Psalmist compares the influence of brotherly unity upon the nation to the effect of the dew upon vegetation. From such dwelling together individuals draw fresh energy; the life of the community, social and religious, is revived and quickened. It need not be supposed that the poet imagined that the dew which fell upon the mountains of Zion was in any way physically due to the influence of Mount Hermon (though it is possible that it was popularly supposed that there was some connexion); all he means is that the life-giving effect of harmonious unity upon the nation is as though the most abundant dews fell upon the dry mountain of Zion.

for there &c.] In Jerusalem. Cp. Psalm 132:17. Jehovah has connected he blessing of a vigorous national life with the religious centre of His choice.

life for evermore] Cp. Sir 37:25, “The days of Israel are innumerable.” But perhaps for evermore should be connected with commanded. For life cp. Psalm 36:9.