Psalm 133 3

Psalm 133:3 kjv

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.

Psalm 133:3 nkjv

It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing? Life forevermore.

Psalm 133:3 niv

It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Psalm 133:3 esv

It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

Psalm 133:3 nlt

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.

Psalm 133 verses

Psalm 133 3 Meaning

Psalm 133:3 describes the refreshing and pervasive blessing that descends upon God's people when they dwell in unity. Likened to the abundant, life-giving dew of Mount Hermon falling upon Zion, it illustrates that true unity among believers is the divinely appointed condition for God to bestow His commanded blessing, specifically life for evermore. This divine favor flows from the highest source and permeates all who are bound together in harmonious fellowship.

Psalm 133 3 Context

The entirety of Psalm 133 is a short "Song of Ascents," likely sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for a festival. These Psalms (120-134) often focus on communal life, worship, and God's blessings upon His people. Verse 1 marvels at the goodness of "brethren dwelling in unity." Verse 2 illustrates this unity with the imagery of precious anointing oil flowing down Aaron's beard, signifying consecrated leadership and blessing permeating from the head down to the whole body. Verse 3 continues this illustration with the image of dew, further emphasizing the pervasive, natural, and life-sustaining aspect of God's blessing on a united people. Historically, Israel often suffered from internal divisions and disunity, making this psalm's emphasis on unity deeply significant, contrasting with societal fragmentation. The mention of Hermon and Zion links the geographical extremes of the promised land with its spiritual center, demonstrating the expansive scope of God's intended blessing.

Psalm 133 3 Word analysis

• As the dew (כְּטַל - kəṭal): Tal (dew) signifies a quiet, gentle, often invisible source of nourishment crucial in arid climates. It symbolizes God's subtle yet effective and pervasive blessing that sustains life without overt human effort, associated with fruitfulness and divine favor.
• of Hermon (חֶרְמוֹן - Ḥermon): Mount Hermon, the tallest peak in the Levant, generating significant dew and acting as a water source for the Jordan. It symbolizes a plentiful, fresh, abundant, and pure source, representing the high, celestial origin of God's blessings. Its distance from Jerusalem (Zion) emphasizes the widespread reach of divine blessing.
• and as the dew that descended (יֹרֵד - yored) upon the mountains of Zion (צִיּוֹן - Tziyon): Yored emphasizes a downward movement from a higher source to a recipient, mirroring divine blessing from God to His people. Tziyon refers to Mount Zion in Jerusalem, the Temple site and spiritual capital. Geographically, Hermon's dew does not physically fall on Zion, so this is symbolic imagery illustrating the universality and profound reach of God's pervasive blessing. It means God's pervasive blessing, as abundant as Hermon's dew, reaches and blesses His gathered people in His holy city, symbolizing a united body of believers.
• for there (כִּי שָׁם - ki sham): Ki introduces the reason; sham points specifically to "there" on Mount Zion within the context of unity established in verse 1. This connects the location (unity) to the divine command and blessing, indicating that unity among God's people in His dwelling place sets the condition for His action.
• the LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal, relational, and sovereign nature. This highlights that the blessing comes directly and specifically from the sovereign God, not from chance, nature, or other deities.
• commanded (צִוָּה - tzivvah): A strong verb denoting a divine decree, an authoritative pronouncement that brings about what is spoken. It signifies the intentionality, certainty, and power behind the blessing, ensuring its manifestation just as God's word brought creation into being.
• the blessing (הַבְּרָכָה - habbərāḵāh): Berakah refers to divine favor, prosperity, fruitfulness, and well-being. The definite article ha- implies a specific, significant blessing that results from dwelling in unity under God's favor.
• even life (חַיִּים - chayyim): Chayyim is the plural form for "life," implying abundance, vitality, and well-being in its fullest sense—flourishing spiritual life, not mere existence. This specifies the ultimate, enduring nature of "the blessing."
• for evermore (עַד הָעוֹלָם - ʿaḏ hāʿōlām): ʿAd haʿōlām signifies "unto eternity" or "forever." This clarifies the ultimate, eternal dimension of the "life," pointing to enduring existence and spiritual vitality, resonating with eternal life in New Testament theology.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion:" This vivid imagery compares the pervasive blessing of unity to the abundant, refreshing dew of the highest, purest source (Hermon) falling upon God's spiritual center (Zion). It uses hyperbole to illustrate the vast, refreshing, and encompassing nature of God's provision for His people in unity, irrespective of physical distance. It implies the blessing flows from God (high source) and permeates the whole body of believers, providing spiritual sustenance.
• "for there the LORD commanded the blessing," This phrase pinpoints the precise condition and origin of the blessing. "There" (on Zion, implying among the united brethren) is where YHWH, the sovereign covenant God, actively commands His blessing. It's a divinely ordained response to unity, a direct, powerful, and guaranteed act of God, not just a hope or a desire.
• "even life for evermore." This clause defines the ultimate nature and duration of the commanded blessing. The blessing isn't merely prosperity or peace for a time, but life in its most profound, spiritual sense, and crucially, it is for evermore. This points to enduring spiritual vitality, salvation, and the promise of eternal existence with God, linking the unity of believers to eternal fellowship and well-being.

Psalm 133 3 Bonus section

The poetic structure of the Psalm, particularly the ascending imagery from oil (on the head) to dew (descending from the highest mountain to Zion), reinforces the concept of blessing flowing downwards and permeating the whole community. The movement from individual blessing (Aaron's head, Ps 133:2) to the broader, communal blessing (Hermon to Zion, Ps 133:3) suggests that true blessing spreads from leadership and spiritual source to encompass all believers when they are unified. This progression elevates unity as foundational to receiving and experiencing God's full and enduring provision, even life everlasting. The use of "Hermon," which can signify "sanctuary" or "forbidden," yet provides life-giving dew, points to the holy and set-apart nature of the source from which ultimate blessings flow, blessings that bridge spiritual and earthly realities.

Psalm 133 3 Commentary

Psalm 133:3 serves as the culminating declaration of why unity is so precious and beneficial: it is the prerequisite condition for God to unleash His most profound blessing. The metaphor of dew from Mount Hermon descending upon Mount Zion illustrates this blessing as pervasive, life-giving, and supernaturally sourced. Hermon, representing God's exalted provision, pours forth its sustenance, reaching even the seemingly drier lands of Zion. This symbolizes God's expansive, divine favor flowing freely over His united people gathered in His presence. The key is "there the LORD commanded," signifying that God's blessing is not incidental but an intentional, authoritative decree linked directly to the state of unity. This commanded blessing is defined ultimately as "life for evermore," indicating not just temporal prosperity but enduring spiritual vitality and eternal fellowship with God. Thus, unity among God's people is shown to be more than pleasant; it's divinely potent, activating the ultimate and eternal purposes of God's favor, which is true abundant life.