Deeper Commentary
Psa 87:1
A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song-
"By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is
dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion
against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they
therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to
worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers.
They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the
exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of
musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned
in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it
could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group
called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon.
His foundation is in the holy mountains-
Perhaps an intensive plural for the one great mountain, Zion, which
he now speaks of in :2. He believes that God has founded Zion, and
ultimately she will not be moved. Given the tragic history of the
Jerusalem temple and the city itself, this takes some faith to believe.
Psa 87:2
Yahweh loves the gates of Zion more than all
the dwellings of Jacob-
As discussed on Ps. 78, we wonder whether Yahweh had indeed loved
Zion as much as David did. He appears to transfer his own excessive
fondness for Zion onto God. For God made it clear to David that He doesn't
live in specific geographical locations and sacred spaces, but in the
hearts of men. And in ps. 78 David argued, perhaps too far, that God had
rejected Ephraim and Shiloh, and chosen Judah, David and Zion. See on Ps.
78:51,68,69,72.
Psa 87:3
Glorious things are spoken about you, city of
God. Selah-
What exactly had God spoken specifically about Zion, given His
statements that He doesn't live in specific geographical locations and
sacred spaces, but in the hearts of men? See on :2. It could be that this
verse is simply a preface for the revelations about Zion which David now
makes. But we wonder whether this is actual revelation from God, or just
the inspired record of what David wished to be true of Zion. The word for
"glorious things", things of "honour", is used of how God honours persons
and behaviour rather than geographical locations and spaces.
Psa 87:4
I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who
acknowledge me. Behold, Philistia, Tyre and also Ethiopia: This one was
born there-
The vision is of the Gentiles from all points of the compass [that
appears to be the reason behind the choice of the nations here listed]
accepting Zion and being born within her. The Gentiles were to come and
dwell in Zion, and this would be a cause of joy to the spiritually minded
Israelite (see on :7). This "birth" in Zion may be another way of saying
that they were equally Israelite as the ethnic Jews who were born there.
God's Israel would be predicated upon spiritual and not ethnic lines.
Psa 87:5
Yes, of Zion it will be said, This one and that
one was born in her; the Most High Himself will establish her-
As explained on :4, the birth of Gentiles in Zion is to be understood
as their conversion to the God of Israel there in Zion, presumably through
visiting the temple which David envisaged being built there and being
taught there. The promise to David was that his kingdom and his throne,
reigned upon by his great Messianic seed, would be "established" by God
eternally (1 Chron. 17:11,12,14 s.w.). But he appears to have become over
literal and religious in interpreting this as meaning that Zion itself
would be eternally established.
Psa 87:6
Yahweh will count, when He writes up the peoples, This one was
born there. Selah-
The idea may be that at the final count at judgment day, God would
accept as His true people those Gentiles who had been "born" in Zion, who
had there made a commitment to His covenant (see on :4,5).
But this had specific potential reference to the restoration. Ezra 2:62 records Judah being ‘reckoned by genealogies’, using the same Hebrew word which is the hallmark of 1 Chron. (4:33; 5:1,7,17; 7:5,7,9,40; 9:1,22). And in this context, Is. 40:26 compares God’s ‘bringing out’ of Judah from Babylon with His ‘bringing out’ the stars by their individual names, all wonderfully known to Him. Ps. 87:6 had prophesied something similar about the restoration of Zion’s fortunes: “The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there”. The Kingdom of God was to be the restoration of Israel’s Kingdom- but they had to actually get on and restore it rather than wait for it to come. This is another reason for understanding Ezekiel’s temple as being broadly of the same dimensions as that of Solomon.
Psa 87:7
Those who sing as well as those who dance say, All my springs are
in You-
LXX "The dwelling of all within thee is as the dwelling of those that
rejoice". Those dwelling within Zion are the Gentiles who have accepted
Zion and the God of Israel who is manifest there (:4); and far from being
nationalistic and elitist, the Jews were to rejoice in this
conversion of the Gentiles.