Psalm CXXXIII
The benefit of the communion of saints.
A song of degrees.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is 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 Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
This Psalm contains an important doctrine, and an exhortation unto concord in the church, and also in the state; and especially an exhortation unto unity in the Spirit; concerning which Paul speaks, Phil. ii.; and also, it exhorts unto agreement in doctrine, and unto peace in general. Let the wise, the strong, and the holy, (the Psalmist would say,) bear with and support the simple, the weak-minded, and the infirm; which is indicated and implied by the two similitudes of “ointment” and “dew.”
The Psalmist alludes to the priesthood and the kingdom. For divine harmony and agreement in the priesthood, or in the doctrine of the truth, is a great and lovely gift of God, and diffuseth a fragrance like precious ointment; and this fragrance descendeth or runneth down; that is, unity in the doctrine of truth, runs down from the high priest Aaron, down his beard, and even unto the skirts of his clothing; that is, down to all other teachers of the truth.
And this “dew of Hermon” signifies literally that dew which revives the flower of Lebanon; and, spiritually, the concord of Lebanon; that is, of Jerusalem. For, as the natural dew fructifies Lebanon, and all the places near unto Lebanon, so concord in divine and spiritual things causes a kingdom to flourish and prosper.
Wherever, therefore, concord in a state and in its church flourishes, there God dwells with all his grace and blessing; but where there are dissensions, divisions, and discord, there is the dwelling of Satan.