The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 132
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
Psalm 133 in the KJV and most English Bibles
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A Song of Degrees. See now! what is so good, or what so pleasant, As for brethren to dwell together?
Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Ἰδοὺ δὴ τί καλὸν, ἢ τί τερπνὸν, ἀλλʼ ἢ τὸ κατοικεῖν ἀδελφοὺς ἐπιτοαυτό;
This is a short Psalm, but one well known and quoted. "Behold, how good and how pleasant is it, that brethren should dwell together in unity". So sweet is that sound, that even they who know not the Psalter, sing that verse. ...
It is as ointment on the head, that ran down to the beard, Even the beard of Aaron; That ran down to the fringe of his clothing.
Ὡς μῦρον ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς τὸ καταβαῖνον ἐπὶ πώγωνα, τὸν πώγωνα τὸν Ἀαρὼν, τὸ καταβαῖνον ἐπὶ τὴν ὦαν τοῦ ἐνδύματος αὐτοῦ.
Let the Psalm tell us what they are like. "As the ointment on the head, which descended to the beard, to Aaron's beard, which descended to the fringe of his garment". What was Aaron? A priest. Who is a priest, except that one Priest, who entered into the Holy of Holies? Who is that priest, save Him, who was at once…
As the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the mountains of Zion: For there the Lord commanded the blessing, Even life forever.
Ὡς δρόσος Ἀερμῶν ὁ καταβαίνουσα ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη Σιών· ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τὴν εὐλογίαν, ζωὴν ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος.
"As the dew of Hermon, which fell upon the hills of Sion". He would have it understood, my brethren, that it is of God's grace that brethren dwell together in unity. ... But ye should know what Hermon is. It is a mountain far distant from Jerusalem, that is, from Sion. And so it is strange that he says thus: As the…
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
All of these translations are in the public domain. The passages were matched to their verses by the Historical Christian Commentaries project, which also hosts the full texts we link to. The Fathers are a treasury of the Church's mind, and they are best read alongside the life of the Church: if a passage raises a question, bring it to your priest.