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COMMENTARY ON PSALM 133 A Song ofthe Steps. NDER REHOBOAM [1912] the tribes were split up, ten following Jeroboam and two holding fast to the Davidic monarchy. Mter the return from Babylon, however , they came together again and loved the harmony, they had the one government and performed in common the worship according to the Law.1 This psalm, then, prophesies these developments . (2) Behold, what a beautiful and charming thing it is for brethren to dwell together (v. 1). Through experience itself, he is saying, we have learned that nothing gives more satisfaction than brotherly harmony. He calls the tribes brethren since the tribal leaders who gave them their names were sons of one father. Like balm on the head, flowing down on a beard, the beard ofAaron (v. 2). The high priestly oil was composed of different aromas; none of them of itself emitted such a wonderful fragrance, whereas the combination and mixture of all of them produced as great a fragrance as possible. To this he rightly compared brotherly harmony: the combination of the best deeds produces the aroma of perfect virtue. Flowing down on the edge ofhis robe. The gift of love, he is saying, resembles that balm which covered the head of Aaron, reaching not just the chin but going as far as the part of his tunic around his breast; he called edge what we call collar, and Aquila said "garments' mouth" for it. So just as the sacred balm ran on from the head past the chin as far as the clothing and enveloped the priest in fragrance, so the benefit I. Theodoret does not see this as simply a Wisdom psalm, but insists on finding historical reference for it. And as in comment on Ps 122 (see note 2 there), he has an idealized account of national unity after the return from (Judah 's) exile, unaware of the different fates suffered by northern and southern kingdoms. 311 312 THEODORET OF CYRUS coming from harmony reaches from the leadership to the subjects . (3) Like dew ofHermon falling on Mount Sion (v. 3). Again he changed to another image, teaching the advantage of harmony; he said it is like the dew carried down from Hermon to Sion. There is so much of it that the jars release drops. Hermon is a mountain-in Palestine, in fact-and some distance from the land of Israel.2 Because there it was that the Lord ordained his blessing , lifeforever-not on Hermon, but on Sion, where the life-giving dew of the all-holy Spirit was sent down on the sacred apostles , through which all the believers reap the everlasting blessing. 2. Geography is one area where Theodoret feels he has some competence, as we have seen. Perhaps he could have adverted to passages like Deut 4-48 that put Mount Hermon on Israel's northern border. An observation on geography is felt pertinent by him-but nothing of a general nature on the value of harmony in the Christian community from the psalm, which has much to offer on the theme. ...

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