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A song of ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!
Psalms 133:1 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB A Song of Ascents. By David. See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!
  • KJV Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
  • NKJV Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
  • NASB Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to live together in unity!
  • NLT How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

It celebrates how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell in unity. It commends genuine unity among God's people as a precious blessing.

Overview

This Song of Ascents by David delights in the goodness and beauty of God's people living together in harmony. Unity is not optional but a treasured gift among the covenant community. Such unity is the fruit of the gospel, as Christ unites believers into one body.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 19

  • 1 Cor 1:10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.
  • 1 Pet 3:8Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
  • John 13:35By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
  • Heb 13:1Continue in brotherly love.
  • Phil 2:2–5then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
  • Eph 4:3–6and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
  • John 17:21that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
  • Jer 32:39I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
  • 1 Jn 3:14–19We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
  • Gen 13:8So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are brothers.
  • Ps 122:6–8Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper.
  • Gen 45:24Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way!”
  • Isa 11:6The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them.
  • 2 Sam 2:26–27Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
  • Ps 122:1A song of ascents. Of David. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
  • Ps 131:1A song of ascents. Of David. My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty. I do not aspire to great things or matters too lofty for me.
  • Isa 11:13Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart, and the adversaries of Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will no longer envy Judah, nor will Judah harass Ephraim.
  • Ps 124:1A song of ascents. Of David. If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel now declare—
  • Isa 11:9They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 133:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 133:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.