Commentary - Psalm 87

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 87 is a compact and glorious prophecy concerning the city of God, Zion. But as with all such Old Testament prophecies, we must read it with New Covenant eyes. Zion is not ultimately a particular piece of real estate in the Middle East, but is rather the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, the assembly of the firstborn, the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22-24). This psalm teaches us to exult in the corporate reality of our salvation. God saves individuals, it is true, but He saves them into a vast and glorious congregation. This psalm is about the expansive, international, and God-glorifying nature of that congregation.

The psalm begins by establishing the divine foundation and affection for Zion (vv. 1-3). It is founded by God, loved by God, and spoken of gloriously. Then, in a stunning turn, the psalm declares that historical enemies of Israel, Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia, will be counted as native-born citizens of this city (v. 4). This is a radical vision of Gentile inclusion. The psalm climaxes by emphasizing that this new birth is a divine act, registered in heaven by God Himself (vv. 5-6). The final verse erupts in joyful worship, with all the redeemed finding their ultimate source of life and blessing in this city of God (v. 7).

Outline

Context In Psalms

This psalm is one of the "songs of Zion" (cf. Pss. 46, 48, 76, 122), which celebrate Jerusalem as the city of God's own choosing, the place of His special presence. Penned by the sons of Korah, who were temple musicians, it has a distinctly worshipful and corporate focus. Its central theme is the glory of the Church, not as a human institution, but as a divine project. What makes this psalm particularly striking is its missional, evangelistic thrust. While other psalms speak of nations coming to bow down to Israel's God, Psalm 87 speaks of them being born again, as it were, as full citizens of Zion. This anticipates the great New Testament reality that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, but all are one in Him, fellow citizens with the saints (Eph. 2:19).

Key Issues

Commentary

Title: Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. A Song.

The sons of Korah were a guild of Levitical musicians in the temple, and so this psalm comes to us as an inspired piece of formal worship. It is both a psalm (for meditation) and a song (for singing). This is not just a theological treatise; it is meant to be sung with gladness by the congregation of God's people.

v. 1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.

The psalm begins abruptly, with a declaration. Whose foundation? God's. The antecedent is understood. God is the great builder, and His city is not founded on shifting sands or the whims of men, but on the holy mountains. This speaks of stability, permanence, and elevation. The Church is not a low-country enterprise; it is a city set on a hill. And the mountains are holy because God has set them apart for His own purposes. The foundation of the Church is not our good works or our clever programs, but the sovereign, electing grace of God Himself, a foundation that cannot be shaken.

v. 2 Yahweh loves the gates of Zion More than all the dwelling places of Jacob.

Here we see God's affections. He loves the individual homes of His people, the "dwelling places of Jacob." He has a tender regard for the family hearth, for private devotion, for the quiet piety of a believing household. But He loves the "gates of Zion" more. The gates represent the public, corporate life of the people of God, the place of judgment, of commerce, of public worship. God loves the gathered assembly. This is a necessary corrective to our individualistic age. While personal faith is essential, God's great love is for His bride, the Church, gathered together. He saves us one by one, but He saves us into a congregation.

v. 3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah.

Because God has founded this city and loves this city, it is a glorious city. The world may speak contemptuously of the Church, but God speaks glorious things of her. And we should learn to speak of her in the same way. We are not to be ashamed of the Church of Christ, even in her weakness. She is the city of God, and her glory is not her own, but His. The "Selah" invites us to pause and consider this profound reality. Let the glorious words of God about His Church sink in.

v. 4 “I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me; Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia: ‘This one was born there.’ ”

Now God Himself speaks, and what He says is astonishing. He begins to list the nations. But this is not a list of enemies to be conquered; it is a list of converts to be welcomed. "Rahab" is a poetic name for Egypt, Israel's first and greatest oppressor. Babylon is the great eastern superpower that would take Israel into exile. Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia, these were all pagan nations, often hostile to Israel. And God says He will count them "among those who know Me." More than that, He will declare of individuals from these very nations, "This one was born there." Born where? Born in Zion. This is nothing less than a prophecy of the new birth. God is going to take His enemies and, by grace, make them citizens of His kingdom, giving them a new identity, a new birthplace, a new family.

v. 5 But of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”; And the Most High Himself will establish her.

The thought is now expanded. It is not just a few token Gentiles. No, of Zion it will be a common saying: "This one and that one were born in her." Men from every tribe and tongue and nation will be brought in. The Church is a place of spiritual birth for multitudes. And lest we think this great influx of foreigners might destabilize the city, the psalmist adds that "the Most High Himself will establish her." The success and security of the Church do not depend on ethnic purity or cultural uniformity, but on the sovereign power of God. He builds His Church, and the gates of Hell, and the inclusion of former pagans, will not prevail against it.

v. 6 Yahweh will count when He registers the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah.

This is the divine census. When God takes the roll call of the nations, when He "registers the peoples," His accounting is what matters. He is the one who marks down in the book of life, next to the name of an Egyptian, a Babylonian, a Philistine: "This one was born there." Our true citizenship is not determined by our earthly passport, but by the divine declaration of our spiritual birthplace. This is the doctrine of regeneration from a glorious Old Testament vantage point. Again, a "Selah." We must pause and marvel at a grace that takes rebels and registers them as sons.

v. 7 And singers, just like the dancers, will all say, “All my springs are in you.”

The psalm concludes with an eruption of joyful worship. The citizens of this renewed and expanded Zion, singers and dancers alike, are united in their praise. And what is the content of their song? "All my springs are in you." All my sources of life, of joy, of refreshment, of blessing, are found in you, O city of God. For the Christian, this means all our springs are in Christ, who is the true temple and the heart of the heavenly Zion. Every good and perfect gift, every drop of living water, every ounce of spiritual vitality flows from Him, through His body, the Church. There is no true life outside of Him.

Application

This psalm is a powerful antidote to a small and timid view of the Church. God's vision for His people is expansive, global, and supernatural. We are to see the Church not as a beleaguered club for the culturally compatible, but as the city of the living God, whose citizenship is being extended to the very ends of the earth.

First, we must love the Church as God loves her. We should prioritize the gathered assembly, the "gates of Zion," and speak glorious things of her, even when we see her flaws. We defend her, pray for her, and invest our lives in her, because she is the bride of Christ.

Second, we must have a heart for the nations. Our God is in the business of turning enemies into family members. Rahab and Babylon are on His list. This means our evangelism should be bold and confident. We should look at the most hostile cultures and the most hardened hearts and see potential citizens of Zion, because God is the one who grants the new birth.

Finally, we must find our all in Christ. "All my springs are in you." We must not seek our ultimate satisfaction, identity, or security in anything other than the Lord Jesus, who is the foundation, the glory, and the life of the city of God. He is the source of every blessing, and in Him, we find our true home.