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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Psalms CXXXIII].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM CXXXIII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This psalm is a brief encomium on unity and brotherly love, which, if
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we did not see the miseries of discord among men, we should think
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needless; but we cannot say too much, it were well if we could say
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enough, to persuade people to live together in peace. Some conjecture
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that David penned this psalm upon occasion of the union between the
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tribes when they all met unanimously to make him king. It is a psalm of
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general use to all societies, smaller and larger, civil and sacred.
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Here is,
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I. The doctrine laid down of the happiness of brotherly love,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+133:1">ver. 1</A>.
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II. The illustration of that doctrine, in two similitudes,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+133:2,3">ver. 2, 3</A>.
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III. The proof of it, in a good reason given for it
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+133:3">ver. 3</A>);
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and then we are left to make the application, which we ought to do in
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singing it, provoking ourselves and one another to holy love. The
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contents of this psalm in our Bibles, are short, but very proper; it is
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"the benefit of the communion of saints."</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps133_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps133_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps133_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Brotherly Love.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>A song of degrees of David.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Behold, how good and how
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pleasant <I>it is</I> for brethren to dwell together in unity!
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2 <I>It is</I> like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran
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down upon the beard, <I>even</I> Aaron's beard: that went down to the
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skirts of his garments;
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3 As the dew of Hermon, <I>and as the dew</I> that descended upon
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the mountains of Zion: for there the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> commanded the blessing,
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<I>even</I> life for evermore.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here see,
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I. What it is that is commended--<I>brethren's dwelling together in
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unity,</I> not only not quarrelling, and devouring one another, but
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delighting in each other with mutual endearments, and promoting each
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other's welfare with mutual services. Sometimes it is chosen, as the
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best expedient for preserving peace, that brethren should live asunder
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and at a distance from each other; that indeed may prevent enmity and
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strife
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+13:9">Gen. xiii. 9</A>),
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but the goodness and pleasantness are <I>for brethren to dwell
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together</I> and so <I>to dwell in unity, to dwell even as one</I> (so
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some read it), as having one heart, one soul, one interest. David had
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many sons by many wives; probably he penned this psalm for their
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instruction, to engage them to love another, and, if they had done
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this, much of the mischief that arose in his family would have been
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happily prevented. The tribes of Israel had long had separate interests
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during the government of the Judges, and it was often of bad
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consequence; but now that they were united under one common head he
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would have them sensible how much it was likely to be for their
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advantage, especially since now the ark was fixed, and with it the
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place of their rendezvous for public worship and the centre of their
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unity. Now let them live in love.</P>
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<P>
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II. How commendable it is: <I>Behold, how good and how pleasant it
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is!</I> It is good in itself, agreeable to the will of God, the
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conformity of earth to heaven. It is good for us, for our honour and
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comfort. It is pleasant and pleasing to God and all good men; it brings
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constant delight to those who do thus live in unity. <I>Behold, how
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good!</I> We cannot conceive or express the goodness and pleasantness
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of it. Behold it is a rare thing, and therefore admirable. Behold and
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wonder that there should be so much goodness and pleasantness among
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men, so much of heaven on this earth! Behold it is an amiable thing,
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which will attract our hearts. Behold it is an exemplary thing, which,
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where it is, is to be imitated by us with a holy emulation.</P>
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<P>
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III. How the pleasantness of it is illustrated.</P>
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<P>
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1. It is fragrant as the holy anointing oil, which was strongly
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perfumed, and diffused its odours, to the great delight of all the
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bystanders, when it was poured upon the head of Aaron, or his successor
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the high priest, so plentifully that it ran down the face, even to the
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collar or binding of the garment,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+133:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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(1.) This ointment was holy. So must our brotherly love be, with a pure
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heart, devoted to God. We must love those that are begotten <I>for his
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sake that begat,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Jo+5:1">1 John v. 1</A>.
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(2.) This ointment was a composition made up by a divine dispensatory;
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God appointed the ingredients and the quantities. Thus believers are
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<I>taught of God to love one another;</I> it is a grace of his working
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in us.
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(3.) It was very precious, and the like to it was not to be made for
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any common use. Thus holy love is, in the sight of God, of great price;
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and that is precious indeed which is so in God's sight.
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(4.) It was grateful both to Aaron himself and to all about him. So is
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holy love; it is like <I>ointment and perfume which rejoice the
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heart.</I> Christ's love to mankind was part of that <I>oil of
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gladness</I> with which he was <I>anointed above his fellows.</I>
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(5.) Aaron and his sons were not admitted to minister unto the Lord
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till they were anointed with this ointment, nor are our services
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acceptable to God without this holy love; if we have it not we are
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nothing,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+13:1,2">1 Cor. xiii. 1, 2</A>.</P>
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<P>
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2. It is fructifying. It is profitable as well as pleasing; it is <I>as
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the dew;</I> it brings abundance of blessings along with it, as
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numerous as the drops of dew. It cools the scorching heat of men's
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passions, as the evening dews cool the air and refresh the earth. It
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contributes very much to our fruitfulness in every thing that is good;
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it moistens the heart, and makes it tender and fit to receive the good
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seed of the word; as, on the contrary, <I>malice and bitterness</I>
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unfit us to receive it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Pe+2:1">1 Pet. ii. 1</A>.
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It is <I>as the dew of Hermon,</I> a common hill (for brotherly love is
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the beauty and benefit of civil societies), <I>and as the dew that
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descended upon the mountains of Zion,</I> a holy hill, for it
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contributes greatly to the fruitfulness of sacred societies. Both
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Hermon and Zion will wither without this dew. It is said of the dew
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that it <I>tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mic+5:7">Mic. v. 7</A>.
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Nor should our love to our brethren stay for theirs to us (that is
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publican's love), but should go before it--that is divine love.</P>
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<P>
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IV. The proof of the excellency of brotherly love. Loving people are
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blessed people. For,
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1. They are blessed of God, and therefore blessed indeed: <I>There,</I>
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where brethren dwell together in unity, <I>the Lord commands the
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blessing,</I> a complicated blessing, including all blessings. It is
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God's prerogative to command the blessing, man can but beg a blessing.
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Blessings according to the promise are commanded blessings, for he has
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commanded <I>his covenant for ever.</I> Blessings that take effect are
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commanded blessings, for <I>he speaks and it is done.</I>
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2. They are everlastingly blessed. The blessing which God commands on
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those that dwell in love is <I>life for evermore;</I> that is the
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blessing of blessings. Those that dwell in love not only dwell in God,
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but do already dwell in heaven. As the perfection of love is the
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blessedness of heaven, so the sincerity of love is the earnest of that
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blessedness. Those that live in love and peace shall have the God of
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love and peace with them now, and they shall be with him shortly, with
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him for ever, in the world of endless love and peace. How good then is
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it, and how pleasant!</P>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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