The comparison in verse 2 to the precious oil that ran down from “Aaron’s head” to his beard and on down to the collar of his robes is a strange one for today’s readers (it sounds rather messy); but it was meaningful to the original readers. The anointing of the High Priest with the special olive oil was an occasion of great solemnity and joy. Perhaps, as one commentator proposes, it suggests “the pervasive influence of good will.” Fisher thinks that the anointing of the High Priest brought him into “a brotherly relationship of Temple ministers.” Kirkpatrick sees the High Priest as the chief religious representative of Israel and so the symbol of national unity. There is no way to determine the specific application of the figure. The last line of verse 2 is taken by Good News Translation and most other translations as a reference to the olive oil, and since this is the focus of the simile, it is the interpretation to be preferred. New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and Weiser, however, following the accent in the Masoretic text, refer it to Aaron’s beard, running down to the collar of his robes. Bible en français courant takes the first two lines as a reference to the olive oil provided a guest in the home (see Psa 23.5): “It is like the precious olive oil that is poured on the head of a guest and that goes down to his beard.” The second part, then, is about the beard of the High Priest: “It is like the beard of the High Priest, that goes down to the collar of his robes.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy takes Aaron to mean the priests; Bible en français courant translates it “the High Priest.” In some languages it may be necessary to repeat the subject “harmony” as the thing that is to be compared; “Such harmony is like….” For a comparison to be understood, there must be a recognized point of similarity. This is hardly the case in verse 2 and may require a footnote to provide the basis for the comparison. “Anointing oil” may have to be recast while still retaining the poetic imagery; for example, “It is like the precious oil poured on Aaron’s head at his consecration; the oil ran down his beard, down to the collar of his robe.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .