Passage

Psalms 133

Verses 1–3 WEB Voices

A Song of Ascents Of David: a brief exclamation over how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity—likened to precious oil on Aaron’s head running down on beard and collar, and to Hermon’s dew falling on Zion’s mountains. There the LORD gives the blessing, even life forevermore.

Psalms 133:1

1See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!

Arminian

See how good and how pleasant—brothers dwelling in unity. The exclamation invites glad attention to peace among kin in faith.

Arminians urge the lived practice: pursue unity as a good you can cultivate under grace. Pleasant concord is worth choosing; refuse the bitterness that tears brethren apart.

Reformed

Behold how good and becoming that brethren dwell together! Thanksgiving rises for God-given concord after division; the Spirit still commands mutual harmony among God’s children.

Unity is ratified in the Father and in Christ. Broken appearance of a dismembered body is not the brotherhood this verse celebrates.

Key contrast Both praise brotherly unity as good and pleasant. Arminians emphasize grace-enabled pursuit and maintenance of peace among brethren; Reformed readers emphasize God-wrought concord in Christ that must be ratified by fraternal love under true worship.

Psalms 133:2

2It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that came down on the edge of his robes,

Arminian

Like precious oil on Aaron’s head—running on beard and upper collar of consecration. Unity refreshes like that sacred ointment.

Receive unity as grateful as priestly anointing. Let blessing run down from head to garments—shared holiness, not thin politeness.

Reformed

Like precious ointment on Aaron’s head descending to beard and skirt. Concord takes rise in pure worship; peace from Christ the head spreads through the Church’s whole length.

Unity without the sweet savor of God’s worship is insipid. Do not buy peace by surrendering God’s honor; hold the Priest’s anointing as the fountain of true concord.

Psalms 133:3

3like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion; for there the LORD gives the blessing, even life forever more.

Arminian

Like Hermon’s dew on Zion’s mountains—where brethren live in peace. There the LORD has commanded blessing, even life forevermore—heavenly dew of ordinances and graces.

Wesleyan Arminians hear commanded blessing tied to unity’s place. Seek peace where God sends refreshing; forever life is His gift where brothers dwell together under His word.

Reformed

Like dew of Hermon descending on Zion’s mountains—holy unity moistens life; without it man is sapless and wretched. There Jehovah commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

God testifies pleasure in concord by showering blessing. Stretch arms to those who return to the unity of the faith; refuse a brotherhood that renounces the Father of all.

Key contrast Both tie unity to refreshing dew and the LORD’s commanded blessing of life forevermore. Arminians emphasize dwelling in peace as the place where God sends ordinance-grace; Reformed interpreters typically press that God commands blessing where Christ-rooted concord is cultivated among His children.

Historic quotes

Voices from both camps

Classic comment on brotherly unity, Aaron’s consecrating oil, Hermon’s dew on Zion, and the commanded blessing of life forevermore, from both sides of the debate.

Arminian Notable voices

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Ointment—it is no less grateful and refreshing than that oil which was poured forth upon Aaron’s head at the time of his consecration to the priestly office. Skirts—not to the lower skirt or bottom of his sacerdotal garment, but to the upper skirt of it, or the mouth of it, as the Hebrew word properly signifies. Zion—it is as desirable as the dew which falls upon mount Hermon, nay, as desirable as that heavenly dew of God’s ordinances and graces which he hath commanded to fall upon the mountains of Zion and Moriah, and others which are round about Jerusalem. There—where brethren live in peace and unity.”

John Wesley · Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (on Psalm 133)

Reformed Notable voices

“Behold how good, and how becoming, that brethren should even dwell together! David renders thanks to God for the peace and harmony which had succeeded a long and melancholy state of confusion and division in the kingdom, and would exhort all to study the maintenance of peace. The hand of God was wonderfully seen, and most unexpectedly, in the concord which ensued. The Holy Ghost commends that mutual harmony which should subsist amongst all God’s children. As we are one in God the Father and in Christ, the union must be ratified amongst us by reciprocal harmony and fraternal love. Concord takes its rise in the true and pure worship of God; the peace which springs from Christ as the head is diffused through the whole length and breadth of the Church. A holy unity has not only a sweet savor before God, but is productive of good effects, as the dew moistens the earth. God commands his blessing where peace is cultivated. Live in peace, and the God of peace shall be with you. We recognize no brotherhood except amongst the children of God.”

John Calvin · Commentary on the Book of Psalms (on Psalm 133)

Quotations lightly abridged for length; wording follows standard English editions of the sources named.

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