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PSALMS 87

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STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB NKJV NRSV TEV NJB
The Privileges of Citizenship in Zion
MT Intro
A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. A Song		 The Glories of the City of God Sons Praising Zion As the Mother of Believers Everywhere In Praise of Jerusalem Zion, Mother of Nations
87:1-7 87:1-3 87:1-3 87:1-3 87:1-2
        87:3
  87:4 87:4 87:4 87:4
  87:5-6 87:5-6 87:5-7 87:5
        87:6-7
  87:7 87:7    

READING CYCLE THREE (see
“Bible
Interpretation Seminar”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which
means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the
light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare
your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is
the key to following the original author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every
paragraph has one and only one subject.

  1. First paragraph
  2. Second paragraph
  3. Third paragraph, etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

  1. This Psalm praises YHWH’s choice of a people to reveal and represent Himself to the
    other nations.

     

  2. The imagery used is one of nations (cf. Ps. 87:4). YHWH set the boundaries of all the
    nations (cf. LXX, Deut. 32:8, i.e., He is in control of geography and history). The covenant
    nation was made up of

     

    1. descendants of Abraham (cf. Gen. 12:1-3; Deut. 7:6-8)
    2. descendants of the Patriarchs (Isaac, Jacob/Israel)
    3. a special land, Canaan
    4. a special city, Jerusalem
    5. a special mountain, Moriah (i.e., the temple, cf. Deut. 12:5,11,21; 14:23,24;
      16:2,6,11, etc.)

     

  3. This special nation (cf. Exod. 19:5-6) is crucial for reaching all nations (see
    SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH’s
    Eternal Redemptive Plan    .

     

  4. As I read this Psalm I ask myself, “Is this still God’s special place?” I struggle with this;
    please take a moment and read the
    SPECIAL TOPIC: OT
    Predictions of the Future vs. NT Predictions    . The NT has universalized the OT promises to
    the world. The gospel, not Israel, is the full revelation of YHWH!

     

  5. Psalm 87:4 implies an eschatological period where all people are part of God’s people
    (i.e., Isa. 2:2-4; 12:4-5; 25:6-9; 42:6-12; 45:22-23; 49:5-6; 51:4-5; 60:1-3; 66:23).

     

  6. The UBS Handbook, p. 757, brings up the question of who the speaker is in Ps. 87:4
    and 5. It suggests, and I agree, that Ps. 87:4 must be God (because Deity is mentioned in
    the FIRST PERSON, “Me”), while Ps. 87:5 is the psalmist (because Deity is
    mentioned in the THIRD PERSON, also Ps. 87:6).

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 87:1-7
 1His foundation is
in the holy mountains.
 2The
Lord
loves the gates of Zion
 More than all the other
dwelling places of Jacob.
 3Glorious things are
spoken of you,
 O city of God.  Selah.
 4“I shall mention
Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me;
 Behold, Philistia and Tyre
with Ethiopia:
 ‘This one was born there.'”
 5But of Zion it
shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”;
 And the Most High Himself will
establish her.
 6The Lord will count
when He registers the peoples,
 “This one was born there.”
 Selah.
 7Then those who sing
as well as those who play the flutes
shall say,
 “All my springs of joy
are in you.”

87:1 “foundation” This Hebrew root (BDB 414) has several connotations.

  1. used in Ezra 7:9 as the beginning of something
  2. foundation of a city ‒ Ps. 137:7; Lam. 4:11; Micah 1:6
  3. laying a foundation in a figurative sense ‒ Isa. 28:16
  4. creation of the earth ‒ 2 Sam. 22:16; Ps. 18:16; 78:69; 82:5; Isa. 24:18; 40:21; Jer. 31:37
  5. imagery related to mountains ‒ Deut. 32:22; Ps. 18:7
  6. from the day of the foundation of the temple ‒ 2 Chr. 8:16 or its side chambers ‒ Ezek. 41:8

▣ “the holy mountains” Mountains symbolize

  1. permanence
  2. stability
  3. closeness to God (Ps. 121:1)
  4. pillars of the earth

In this context it obviously is imagery connected to

  1. Jerusalem/Zion (cf. Ps. 2:6; 48:1)
  2. the temple
  3. the covenant people

The PLURAL may relate to the fact that Jerusalem was built on seven hills. For
“Zion” see notes online at Ps. 2:6; 9:11 and 20:2.

YHWH is linked to several mountains.

  1. Mt. Sinai/Horeb (Exodus 19-20)
  2. Mt. Seir/Paran (Deut. 33:2; Hab. 3:3)
  3. Mt. Moriah (Genesis 22; Ezek. 20:40)
  4. a mountain in the north (cf. Ps. 48:2; Isa. 14:13; Ezek. 28:14,16)

87:2 This refers to Jerusalem/Zion and Judah (cf. Ps. 78:67-68). Judah was to be the tribe
of the Messiah (cf. Gen. 49:8-12). “Jacob” refers to all the tribes that descended from Jacob/Israel. It
became a collective term for the covenant people.

▣ “The Lord loves” YHWH’s love for Jerusalem is also specifically
stated in Ps. 78:68. It is His chosen place (cf. Ps. 132:13).

87:3 “city of God” This refers to Jerusalem (cf. Ps. 46:4; 48:8).

SPECIAL TOPIC: JERUSALEM

▣ “Selah” This term seems to close a literary unit, see Ps. 87:6. For full note on the
suggested meanings see Ps. 3:2.

87:4 “I shall mention” This VERB (BDB 289, KB 269, Hiphil IMPERFECT)
can be understood as “record” (BDB 271, #4, as the title of a public officer who records (cf. 2 Sam. 8:16;
20:24; 1 Kgs. 4:3; 2 Kgs. 18:18,37; 1 Chr. 18:15; 2 Chr. 34:8; Isa. 36:3,22), thereby linking it to the
idea of a city registry (Ps. 87:5-6).

▣ “among those who know Me” This implies that Gentiles from these countries have become
believers and followers of YHWH. They are now citizens of the new eschatological city of God, “New
Jerusalem” (cf. Revelation 21).

SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW

87:4-5 The psalmist lists several nations.

  1. Rahab (i.e., Egypt, cf. Ps. 89:10; Isa. 30:7)
  2. Babylon (one wonders why Assyria is not mentioned, possibly giving an indication of the
    date of the Psalm’s composition)
  3. Philistia
  4. Tyre (i.e., Phoenicia)
  5. Ethiopia (i.e., Cush)

The purpose of their being mentioned is to compare their origins. In a sense all the
nations came from God’s sovereignty (cf. LXX, Deut. 32:8), but Israel was His special people
(cf. Exod. 19:5-6; Rom. 9:4-5).

87:5 The first line of Ps. 87:5 is difficult but in context of the universal emphasis of
Ps. 87:4, I think it refers to believers in YHWH having their citizenship transferred to God’s holy
city—Zion.

87:6 “registers” The imagery is that of the list of citizens kept by ANE cities. In a symbolic
way it will show Israel was from Zion, God’s special city, the unique place of the worship of
YHWH (cf. Ps. 87:7).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TWO
BOOKS OF GOD of God

87:7 “springs” The term (BDB 745) is used in the symbolic sense of origins or the source of
God’s people (cf. Deut. 33:28).

 

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Lessons International

 

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