Song Deep Dive: Psalm 133 (Behold How Good!)
About Psalm 133
Psalm 133 is a song of celebration, a joyful declaration of the beauty of community within the family of God. David begins with a famous exclamation: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). This short song uses two vivid metaphors to describe this unity: the sacred anointing oil flowing down Aaron’s beard and the refreshing dew falling on Mount Hermon. Both images speak of something precious, fragrant, and descending from above. Just as the oil and dew come down, true unity is not achieved by human effort but is a gift bestowed by the LORD. That is the heart of Psalm 133: realizing that where brothers and sisters dwell in harmony, God commands His blessing, even life forevermore.
Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David
1 How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.
Stephen's Thoughts
I wanted the music to mirror the imagery of the Psalm: a continuous, unbroken stream. The guitar melody is designed to flow without ceasing, evoking the picture of oil on Aaron’s beard and the dew of Mount Hermon. By tuning the A string down to G, I discovered new chord voicings that create a drone-like quality, emphasizing the ‘pleasantness’ of unity, especially during the refrain ‘How Good.’ This song is also special to me because I was able to record it with my father.
Listen to Psalm 133 (Behold How Good!)
Musical Credits
Stephen Vesolich (Vocals and Guitar)
Steve Vesolich (Vocals)
Lyrics
(Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! ) 2x
How Good! How Good!
It’s like oil poured on the head,
Down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
(Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! ) 2x
How Good! How Good!
It’s as if the dew of Hermon were falling on, Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows His blessing, even life forevermore.
(Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! ) 2x
How Good! How Good! How Good!
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