It is like fine oil
The phrase "fine oil" in Psalm 133:2 refers to the anointing oil used in ancient Israelite rituals. The Hebrew word for "fine" here is "טוֹב" (tov), which means good, pleasant, or agreeable. This oil was not ordinary; it was a special blend as described in Exodus 30:22-25, made from myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, cassia, and olive oil. The anointing oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit's presence and blessing, signifying consecration and sanctification. In a broader sense, it represents the richness and abundance of God's blessings upon His people when they dwell in unity.

on the head
The anointing oil was poured on the head, signifying the beginning of a sacred act. The head is often seen as the seat of wisdom and authority, and anointing it symbolizes the bestowal of God's favor and empowerment. In the context of Psalm 133, the oil on the head represents the starting point of unity and blessing, flowing from the top down, indicating that true unity begins with leadership and spreads throughout the community.

running down
The phrase "running down" emphasizes the abundance and overflow of the anointing oil. The Hebrew word "יָרַד" (yarad) means to descend or flow down. This imagery suggests that the blessings of unity are not static but dynamic, moving and spreading throughout the body of believers. It highlights the idea that when God's people are united, His blessings are not just contained but overflow, impacting all areas of life.

on the beard
The beard, particularly Aaron's beard, signifies maturity, dignity, and the priestly office. In ancient Israel, the beard was a symbol of honor and respect. The oil running down the beard of Aaron, the first high priest, signifies the consecration and sanctification of the priesthood. It underscores the importance of spiritual leadership in fostering unity among God's people. The anointing of the beard represents the continuity of God's blessing from the head to the rest of the body, symbolizing the unity of the priesthood and the people.

running down upon the collar of his robes
The oil flowing down to the collar of Aaron's robes signifies the completeness and thoroughness of the anointing. The Hebrew word for "collar" is "פִּי" (pi), which can also mean mouth or opening, indicating the edge or hem of the garment. This imagery suggests that the anointing covers the entire person, from head to toe, symbolizing the fullness of God's blessing. The robes represent the priestly garments, which were a symbol of service and ministry. The oil reaching the robes signifies that the blessings of unity extend to all aspects of life and service, covering the community of believers in God's grace and favor.

(2) It is like.--The italics of the Authorised Version are wrongly inserted. Unity could not be said to flow down. The other term of the simile is implied in Psalm 133:3. (See Note.) Literally, Like the oil, the good oil, on the head descending upon the beard, Aaron's beard, which (was) descending to the mouth of his robes. Oil meets us as the standing symbol of joy and festivity. (See Psalm 45:7, Note; Isaiah 61:3.) It is also brought closely into connection with love (Song of Solomon 1:3). But while this association, as also the pleasure derived from the fragrance of the oil, would be present here as always in the truly Oriental image, its elaboration in this passage points to a further purpose. It is the holy oil, that whose composition is described in Exodus 30:22-23, that the poet alludes to. This, while the garments of all the priests were sprinkled with it (Exodus 29:21; Leviticus 8:30), was poured on the head of Aaron (Exodus 29:7; Leviticus 8:12; Leviticus 21:10), so that the description of the psalm, unpleasing as it is to Western ideas, of the saturation, not only of his head, but of face and beard, was actually true. It would run down his neck to the collar of the priestly robe. That this is the meaning of "mouth" here is plain from the actual description of the sacerdotal garments (Exodus 28:31-32): "And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue. And there shall be a mouth in the top of it, in the midst thereof: and it shall have a binding of woven work round about the mouth of it, as it were the mouth of a habergeon, that it be not rent." (Comp. Exodus 39:23; and Job 30:18, where Authorised Version has "collar.") To the ideas of "joy" and "fragrance," therefore, must also be added that of "consecration." But the point of the comparison does not lie even here; nor is it in the freshness of the dew, in the next verse, or its abundance, though dew suggests both of these (see Note, Psalm 110:3), but in the word three times repeated--descending. Our version unfortunately obscures this point, by rendering this recurrent participle each time by a different word, missing, at the same time, the marked peculiarity of the rhythm of these psalms. The oil descends from Aaron's head over his face and beard; the dew of Hermon descends on Zion--low in actual measurement, but exalted by the Divine favour above the loftiest hills. It is not unity, then, in itself which is the subject of the poem, but the unity of the covenant under which all blessings flowed down from above, rested on Mount Zion, and took outward shape and form there in the political and religious constitution. . . . Verse 2. - It is like the precious ointment upon the head. The anointing oil of the sanctuary was an ointment composed of many "precious" ingredients, as myrrh, cinnamon, sweet calamus, and cassia, besides oil olive, which was its basis (Exodus 30:23, 24). Not only Aaron (Leviticus 8:12), but all later high priests, were anointed with it (Exodus 30:30). That ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard. This would be the natural result of a copious "pouring" of the oil upon the top of the head. Though not mentioned historically in Leviticus, it presents itself to the eye of the poet, on whose mental vision the whole scene rises. That went down to the skirts of his garments. Streamed even to the lower fringe of his long vesture (Kay). The high priest at his consecration was a type and symbol of unity. He bore on his breastplate the names of the twelve tribes, so that the holy oil, typical of the grace of God, when it was poured upon him, flowed down on all the tribes, diffusing everywhere an odor of fragrance.

Parallel Commentaries ...


It is like fine
הַטּ֨וֹב ׀ (haṭ·ṭō·wḇ)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

oil
כַּשֶּׁ֤מֶן (kaš·še·men)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8081: Grease, liquid, richness

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the head,
הָרֹ֗אשׁ (hā·rōš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7218: The head

running down
יֹרֵ֗ד (yō·rêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

on
עַֽל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the beard,
הַזָּקָ֥ן (haz·zā·qān)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 2206: Beard, chin

running down
שֶׁ֝יֹּרֵ֗ד (yō·rêḏ)
Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

Aaron’s
אַהֲרֹ֑ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

beard
זְקַֽן־ (zə·qan-)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 2206: Beard, chin

over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the collar
פִּ֥י (pî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

of his robes.
מִדּוֹתָֽיו׃ (mid·dō·w·ṯāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4060: Extension, height, breadth, a measure, a portion, a vestment, tribute


Psalm 133:2 NIV
Psalm 133:2 NLT
Psalm 133:2 ESV
Psalm 133:2 NASB
Psalm 133:2 KJV

Psalm 133:2 BibleApps.com
Psalm 133:2 Biblia Paralela
Psalm 133:2 Chinese Bible
Psalm 133:2 French Bible
Psalm 133:2 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Psalm 133:2 It is like the precious oil (Psalm Ps Psa.)