Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two

In the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Bibles, the psalm is attributed to David. Its origin can be referred to the time of the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, when the latter became not only the administrative center for the entire Hebrew people, but also the religious center, which was intended to serve as the binding link for all the tribes and thus unite the entire Hebrew people into a strong and mighty nation. David understood well the significance of Jerusalem with the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to it, and the psalm written by him was not only a clarification of this significance, but also an invitation to all those discontented with the transfer of the Ark here (and there were such, see Ps 67:16-17 see explanation) to fraternal unity.

Life in unity among brothers is as good and beneficial as the precious oil poured on the head of Aaron, or as the dew of Hermon, which revives Zion.

Psalm 132:1. How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together! Psalm 132:2. It is like precious oil on the head, flowing down onto the beard, the beard of Aaron, flowing down onto the edges of his garment; When Aaron was consecrated as high priest, myrrh was poured on his head in such abundance (Lev 8:12) that it flowed down onto the edges of his garment. By the latter is probably understood the lower hems, which corresponds to the meaning of the image: just as the myrrh poured on Aaron flowed down from his head to the lower edge of his garment, so Jerusalem unites among itself the most divided and distant parts of the Hebrew people.

Psalm 132:3. As the dew of Hermon, coming down on the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing and life forever. From the mountain of Hermon, very rich in moisture and heavy dews, the latter frequently were carried by winds to Zion as well, refreshing and sustaining vegetation upon it. As precious is the myrrh on the head of Aaron, as beneficial is the dew of Hermon, so precious and beneficial is the unification of all Hebrews around Jerusalem, the new center of religious and administrative life.