The Meaning of Psalms 133:3 Explained

Psalms 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.

YLT: As dew of Hermon -- That cometh down on hills of Zion, For there Jehovah commanded the blessing -- Life unto the age!

Darby: As the dew of Hermon that descendeth on the mountains of Zion; for there hath Jehovah commanded the blessing, life for evermore.

ASV: Like the dew of Hermon, That cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: For there Jehovah commanded the blessing, Even life for evermore.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 133:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Mt. Hermon to the north of Israel was the highest mountain in the land. As such it enjoyed unusually heavy dew. Dew was a great blessing in the parched land of Israel. As the dew freshened and invigorated Mt. Hermon, so the blessing of unity among believing Israelites would refresh and invigorate Mt. Zion as they gathered for worship there.
When unity characterizes believers, they can perform priestly work with divine approval, and they can enjoy God"s blessings of refreshment and fertility.

Context Summary

Psalms 133:1-3 - Unity Is Of God
The word Behold suggests that some special manifestation of unity was taking place under the psalmist's eyes, perhaps in connection with some great religious festival; or David may have composed it to celebrate the healing of the breach after the death of Ishbosheth. We must not only be one in God's purpose, but must be willing to dwell together, that is, to manifest our unity in outward action. For the precious oil see Exodus 30:20-38 and 1 John 2:27. Our Lord was anointed with the Holy Spirit, and we may share in His Pentecost, Luke 3:21-22; Acts 2:33.
Psalms 134:1-3. The last of the "Songs of Degrees." It may have been addressed to the priests who came on duty after the offering of the evening sacrifice. There was evidently a band of choristers and others who were on duty while Jerusalem slept. The psalm ends with the reciprocal blessing of the watchers on the retreating crowds; commending them, during the hours of darkness, to the care of the Lord of heaven and earth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 133

1  The blessedness of unity among brothers

What do the individual words in Psalms 133:3 mean?

[it is] like the dew of Hermon Descending upon the mountains of Zion for there commanded Yahweh - the blessing Life even to forevermore
כְּטַל־ חֶרְמ֗וֹן שֶׁיֹּרֵד֮ עַל־ הַרְרֵ֪י צִ֫יּ֥וֹן כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם ׀ צִוָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־ הַבְּרָכָ֑ה חַ֝יִּ֗ים עַד־ הָעוֹלָֽם

כְּטַל־  [it  is]  like  the  dew 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: טַל  
Sense: dew, night mist.
חֶרְמ֗וֹן  of  Hermon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרְמֹון  
Sense: a mountain on the northeastern border of Palestine and Lebanon and overlooking the border city of Dan.
שֶׁיֹּרֵד֮  Descending 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַרְרֵ֪י  the  mountains 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: mountain, hill, hill country, mount.
צִ֫יּ֥וֹן  of  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
צִוָּ֣ה  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
יְ֭הוָה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַבְּרָכָ֑ה  the  blessing 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרָכָה  
Sense: blessing.
חַ֝יִּ֗ים  Life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
עַד־  even  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
הָעוֹלָֽם  forevermore 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.