Psalm 87:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: On the holy mount stands the city he founded;

NIV: Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song. He has founded his city on the holy mountain.

NASB: His foundation is in the holy mountains.

CSB: A psalm of the sons of Korah. A song. The city he founded is on the holy mountains.

NLT: On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord.

KJV: A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. His foundation is in the holy mountains.

NKJV: {A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.} His foundation is in the holy mountains.

Psalm 87:1–3 describes Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, which God established through the victories of David (2 Samuel 5:7). This "city of God" is the object of the Lord's special love. This is where the temple was built (Isaiah 2:3), where the ark of the covenant was kept (2 Samuel 6:12), and where Jesus performed much of His earthly ministry (John 5:1).

Jerusalem is the city established by David (2 Samuel 5:7), which became the capital city of Israel. Other nations will come to respect the city. These nations include Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush. "Rahab," in this context, is the nation of Egypt (Isaiah 30:7). The world will come to Jerusalem to be adopted into the family of God as if they were natural-born children of the city.

King David took the Jebusite city of Zion and made it his capital (2 Samuel 5:5–10). Scripture repeatedly uses "Zion" as a poetic synonym for Jerusalem (Psalm 2:6; 48:11; 78:68; Isaiah 30:19; Lamentations 4:2). That "nations" will worship suggests the end times: when Christ will rule the world in person (Revelation 15:4; 20:4). The psalm may also celebrate the defeat of an Assyrian army which attempted to conquer Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:35–36).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/21/2024 7:34:04 PM