Psalms 36:9(v7)For with you is the spring of life. In your light we will see light.
Isaiah 28:16(v1)Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure…
Isaiah 56:7(v1)I will bring these to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be…
John 1:16(v7)From his fullness we all received grace upon grace.
Isaiah 12:3(v7)Therefore with joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Show all 100 cross-references
Ephesians 2:20-22(v1)being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building,…
Revelation 22:17(v7)The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the…
Isaiah 4:3(v6)It will happen that he who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even everyone who is written among the…
John 4:14(v7)but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well…
Revelation 21:6(v7)He said to me, “I have become the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring…
Matthew 16:18(vv1, 5)I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
2 Samuel 6:14(v7)David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.
1 Chronicles 23:5(v7)four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made for giving praise.”
Psalms 48:1-2(v1)Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole…
Psalms 132:13-14(v2)For Yahweh has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation. “This is my resting place forever. I will live here, for I have desired…
Isaiah 2:2-3(v1)It shall happen in the latter days, that the mountain of Yahweh’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be…
Ezekiel 37:27-28(v3)My tent also will be with them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. The nations will know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies…
John 7:37-39(v7)Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who…
1 Corinthians 3:10-11(v1)According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each…
Revelation 14:1-3(v7)I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name…
Revelation 22:1(v7)He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,
Deuteronomy 12:5(v2)But to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, you shall seek his habitation, and you…
Psalms 78:67-69(v2)Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim, But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.…
Ezekiel 36:11-38(v3)I will multiply man and animal on you. They will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before, and you…
Zechariah 8:3(v1)Yahweh says: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called ‘The City of Truth;’ and the…
Luke 10:20(v6)Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
John 4:10(v7)Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would…
Romans 8:31(v5)What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
James 1:17(v7)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning…
1 Peter 1:23-24(v5)having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever. For, “All…
Psalms 46:4(vv3, 7)There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad, the holy place of the tents of the Most High.
Psalms 45:12(v4)The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift. The rich among the people entreat your favor.
Psalms 68:16(v1)Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.
Ezekiel 13:9(v6)“My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who utter lying divinations. They will not be in the council of my people,…
Ezekiel 48:35(v5)“It shall be eighteen thousand reeds around: and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘Yahweh is there.’
John 1:12-14(v5)But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born not of…
Galatians 3:26-28(v5)For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There…
2 Peter 1:18(v1)We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
Revelation 20:15(v6)If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
2 Chronicles 3:1(v1)Then Solomon began to build Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh appeared to David his father, which he prepared in…
Psalms 48:2-3(v3)Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King. God has shown himself in…
Psalms 68:24-25(v7)They have seen your processions, God, even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary. The singers went before, the minstrels…
Psalms 68:31(v4)Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.
Psalms 69:28(v6)Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.
Psalms 121:1(v1)I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
Isaiah 19:23-25(v4)In that day there will be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the…
Isaiah 44:4-5(v5)and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses. One will say, ‘I am Yahweh’s;’ and another will be called by the…
Isaiah 60:1-9(v5)“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and Yahweh’s glory has risen on you. For, behold, darkness will cover the earth, and thick darkness…
John 3:3-5(v5)Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a…
Philippians 4:3(v6)Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow…
Hebrews 11:32–12:2(v5)What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, who…
1 Peter 2:4-8(v1)coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious. You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual…
Revelation 21:10-27(v3)He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,…
1 Chronicles 25:1-6(v7)Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who…
2 Chronicles 6:6(v2)but now I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’
Job 9:13(v4)“God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
Psalms 22:30(v6)Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
Psalms 48:8(v5)As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever.
Psalms 89:10(v4)You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
Isaiah 14:32(v2)What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people will take refuge.
Jeremiah 3:19(v6)“But I said, ‘How I desire to put you among the children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the armies of the nations!’…
Jeremiah 31:12-13(v3)They will come and sing in the height of Zion, and will flow to the goodness of Yahweh, to the grain, to the new wine, to the oil, and to…
Joel 2:32(v2)It will happen that whoever will call on Yahweh’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape,…
Hebrews 12:22-23(v3)But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels, to the…
Hebrews 12:22-24(v5)But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels, to the…
Revelation 13:8(v6)All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life…
Revelation 14:1(v3)I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name…
2 Samuel 21:16-22(v4)and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, he being armed…
1 Kings 10:1-29(v4)When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning Yahweh’s name, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to…
2 Kings 20:17-18(v4)‘Behold, the days come that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store to this day, will be carried to…
1 Chronicles 15:16-29(v7)David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and…
Psalms 48:11-13(v3)Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments. Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its…
Psalms 125:1-2(v3)Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh…
Psalms 137:1(v4)By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psalms 137:8-9(v4)Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who repays you, as you have done to us. Happy shall he be, who takes and…
Isaiah 12:6(v3)Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion; for the Holy One of Israel is great among you!”
Isaiah 13:1-22(v4)The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. Set up a banner on the bare mountain! Lift up your voice to them! Wave your hand,…
Isaiah 14:4-6(v4)that you will take up this parable against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased! The golden city has ceased!” Yahweh…
Isaiah 19:11(v4)The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish. The counsel of the wisest counselors of Pharaoh has become stupid. How do you say to Pharaoh, “I…
Isaiah 23:1-18(v4)The burden of Tyre. Howl, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in. From the land of Kittim…
Isaiah 49:14-26(v3)But Zion said, “Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have…
Isaiah 51:9(v4)Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of Yahweh! Awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn’t it you who cut Rahab in…
Isaiah 54:2-10(v3)“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; don’t spare: lengthen your cords, and…
Isaiah 59:20–60:22(v3)“A Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from disobedience in Jacob,” says Yahweh. “As for me, this is my covenant with them,”…
Isaiah 61:3–62:12(v3)to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the…
Jeremiah 3:14-17(v3)“Return, backsliding children,” says Yahweh; “for I am a husband to you. I will take one of you from a city, and two from a family, and I…
Jeremiah 25:9(v4)behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,” says Yahweh, “and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my…
Jeremiah 50:1-46(v4)The word that Yahweh spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet. “Declare among the nations…
Ezekiel 9:4(v6)Yahweh said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that…
Ezekiel 27:1-28(v4)Yahweh’s word came again to me, saying, “You, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre; and tell Tyre, ‘You who dwell at the entry of…
Ezekiel 28:2(v4)“Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the…
Daniel 2:47-48(v4)The king answered to Daniel, and said, “Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you…
Daniel 4:30(v4)The king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the…
Acts 8:27(v4)He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was…
Galatians 4:26-31(v6)But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out…
Revelation 17:5(v4)And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Revelation 18:2(v4)He cried with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every…
1 Samuel 17:8(v4)He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine,…
Psalms 149:3(v7)Let them praise his name in the dance! Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp!
Ezekiel 36:2(v3)The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Because the enemy has said against you, “Aha!” and, “The ancient high places are ours in possession!” ’
100 distinct cross-references across this passage (104 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (25 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
John Calvin1540 · Public DomainOn vv1–71 His foundations are in the holy mountains. Those…
1 His foundations are in the holy mountains. Those who conceive that Jerusalem is here meant, as if it were said to be founded upon the holy mountains, are in my judgment mistaken; for the relative is in the masculine gender. Some learned men, I am aware, defend this opinion, by supposing that the words, the people, are to be supplied, although it is the capital of Judea which is specified. But it is unnecessary for me to say any thing to prove what is apparent to all, that this exposition is forced. Some Jewish interpreters have thought it most probable that this opening sentence is to be referred to the psalm itself; and, accordingly, they explain foundations as denoting metaphorically the theme, or subject of the poem, because it treats of the holy city Jerusalem, which was situated upon mountains. But I am surprised that they should have been mistaken in a matter so very obvious. It being quite a common thing among the Hebrews to put a relative without its antecedent, this manner of speaking ought not to seem harsh or strange. The name of God is mentioned a little after; and we know that he is everywhere represented as having founded Jerusalem.
Some by the mountains understand Moriah and Zion, which were the two tops of a mountain cleft into two, but this is too forced. As the country was mountainous, we are rather to understand the prophet as having in his eye the several neighboring and contiguous mountains which formed a chain around Jerusalem; for we will see in another place that Jerusalem was surrounded by mountains, (Psalm 125:2.) The true and natural meaning then is, that God chose the holy mountains in order to found and erect his city in the midst of them. For a little after, in the prosecution of the subject, these words occur, “The Highest himself shall establish her.” He is indeed the founder of other cities also; yet we do not read of him saying with respect to any other city,
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“This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it,” (Psalm 132:14.)
There is this difference, which is always to be remembered, that while other cities were founded and built by the guidance and power of God, merely for the sake of civil government, Jerusalem was his peculiar sanctuary, and his royal seat. Isaiah also uses a similar form of expression, (Isaiah 14:32,) “The Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.” Besides, although the whole country of Judea was consecrated to God, yet he is said to have rejected all the other cities, and to have chosen this one for himself in which to reign. Here the question is not about earthly polity, but spiritual government; for the pure religion, and the true worship of God, and the doctrine of godliness, were at that time to be found nowhere but in Jerusalem.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators1599 · Public DomainOn vv1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7God did choose that place among the hills, to…
God did choose that place among the hills, to establish Jerusalem and his Temple.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp1656 · Public DomainOn vv1–7Psa 87:1 « A Psalm [or] Song for the…
Psa 87:1 « A Psalm [or] Song for the sons of Korah. » His foundation [is] in the holy mountains.
A Psalm or Song] Made, likely, by David, after that he had settled the ark in Mount Sion, 2Sa 6:1-23, and understood that the temple should be built in Mount Moriah; in which two mountains (or rather one mountain with two tops) the Rabbis say that this psalm was composed, and thereunto they draw the next words, "His foundation," or the argument of this psalm, is in and of those holy mountains. But this seemeth not to be the sense.
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Ver. 1. His foundation is in the holy mountains] Which cannot be removed, but abide for ever, Psa 125:1. Some read it, The foundation thereof, viz. of the temple, but especially of the Church universal, that spiritual temple (built of living stones by God, the best architect, Christ himself being the chief cornerstone), is in the holy mountains; for out of Zion went forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem; which is therefore called the mother Church, and των εκκλησιων ακροπολις, the chief Church, the reef of the Gentile Churches, Rom 11:1-36, the conversion whereof is here foretold, Psa 87:1, and perpetual happiness promised (Damasc. l.
4. c. 13).
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole1685 · Public DomainOn vv1–7His foundation: whose foundation? Either,
His foundation: whose foundation? Either,
1. The foundation, i.e. the argument or matter, of this Psalm or Song. So these words are thought to be a part of the title, the words lying thus in the Hebrew text,
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For the sons of Korah, a Psalm or Song whose
foundation is in the Holy mountains. But,
1. The Hebrew word rendered foundation is no where used in that sense.
2. There is no example of any such like title in the Book of the Psalms. Or rather,
2. Of the city or temple of God, of which he speaks in the following verses. And whereas the beginning is somewhat abrupt, which seems to be the only ground of the foregoing exposition, that is no unusual thing in Scripture, and the pronoun relative, such as this is, is often put without any foregoing antecedent, and the antecedent is to be fetched out of the following words or verses, as Num 24:17, I shall see him, or it, to wit, the star, which follows afterward; Psa 105:19, his word, i.e. the Lord’s; Pro 7:8, to her house, i.e. the harlot’s, mentioned Pro 7:10; and especially Son 1:2, let him kiss, to wit, my beloved, who is there understood, but not expressed till Pro 7:14. And the ground of that abrupt and imperfect speech there seems to be the same with this here; for as the church was there in deep meditation and a great passion about her beloved, which caused that abruptness of speech, which is usual in such cases, so the psalmist’s thoughts were strongly fixed upon the temple and city of God; and therefore this relative his had a certain antecedent in his thoughts, though not in his words. The word foundations may possibly be emphatical, because this Psalm might probably be composed when the foundations of the second temple were newly laid, and the old men who had seen the glory of the former house were dejected at the sight of this, of which see Ezr 3:11,12. And so the meaning of this passage may be this, Be not discouraged, O ye Jews, that your temple is not yet erected and built, but only the foundations of it laid, and those too are mean and obscure in comparison of the magnificence of your former temple; but take comfort in this, that your temple hath its foundations laid, and those sure and firm; sure in themselves, because they are not laid in the sand, nor in boggy or fenny grounds, but in the mountains; and sure by Divine establishment, because those mountains are holy, consecrated to God, and therefore maintained and established by him. Or he may use this word foundations in opposition to the tabernacle, which was movable, and without foundations, to note the stability and perpetuity of this building.
In the holy mountains; or, among or within the holy mountains, to wit, in Jerusalem, which was encompassed with mountains, Psa 125:2, and in which were two famous mountains, to wit, Zion and Moriah. Or the plural number is here put for the singular, whereof we have seen examples formerly; and mountains are put for the mountain; either for Mount Moriah, upon which the temple stood; or for Mount Zion, which is mentioned in the next verse; which is often taken in a large and comprehensive sense, so as to include Moriah, in which sense the temple is said to be in Zion, Psa 74:2; 76:2; Isa 8:18.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry1710 · Public DomainOn vv1, 4Some make the first words of the psalm to…
Some make the first words of the psalm to be part of the title; it is a psalm or song whose subject is the holy mountains - the temple built in Zion upon Mount Moriah. This is the foundation of the argument, or beginning of the psalm. Or we may suppose the psalmist had now the tabernacle or temple in view and was contemplating the glories of it, and at length he breaks out into this expression, which has reference, though not to what he had written before, yet to what he had thought of; every one knew what he meant when he said thus abruptly, Its foundation is in the holy mountains. Three things are here observed, in praise of the temple: - 1. That it was founded on the holy mountains, Psa 87:1. The church has a foundation, so that it cannot sink or totter; Christ himself is the foundation of it, which God has laid. The Jerusalem above is a city that has foundations. The foundation is upon the mountains. It is built high; the mountain of the Lord's house is established upon the top of the mountains, Isa 2:2. It is built firmly; the mountains are rocky, and on a rock the church is built. The world is founded upon the seas (Psa 24:2), which are continually ebbing and flowing, and are a very weak foundation; Babel was built in a plain, where the ground was rotten. But the church is built upon the everlasting mountains and the perpetual hills; for sooner shall the mountains depart, and the hills be removed, than the covenant of God's peace shall be disannulled, and on that the church is built, Isa 54:10. The foundation is upon the holy mountains. Holiness is the strength and stability of the church: it is this that will support it and keep it from sinking; not so much that it is built upon mountains as that it is built upon holy mountains - upon the promise of God, for the confirming of which he has sworn by his holiness, upon the sanctification of the Spirit, which will secure the happiness of all the saints. 2. That God had expressed a particular affection for it (Psa 87:2): The Lord loveth the gates of Zion, of the temple, of the houses of doctrine (so the Chaldee), more than all the dwellings of Jacob, whether in Jerusalem or any where else in the country. God had said concerning Zion, This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell. There he met his people, and conversed with them, received their homage, and showed them the tokens of his favour, and therefore we may conclude how well he loves those gates. Note, (1.) God has a love for the dwellings of Jacob, has a gracious regard to religious families and accepts their family-worship. (2.) Yet he loves the gates of Zion better, not only better than any, but better than all, of the dwellings of Jacob. God was worshipped in the dwellings of Jacob, and family-worship is family-duty, which must by no means be neglected; yet, when they come in competition, public worship (caeteris paribus - other things being equal) is to be preferred before private. 3. That there was much said concerning it in the word of God (Psa 87:3): Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God! We are to judge of things and persons by the figure they make and the estimate put upon them in and by the scripture. Many base things were spoken of the city of God by the enemies of it, to render it mean and odious; but by him whose judgment we are sure is according to truth glorious things are spoken of it. God said of the temple, My eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually; I have sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever, Ch2 7:16. Beautiful for situation is Mount Zion, Psa 48:2. These are glorious things. Yet more glorious things are spoken of the gospel-church. It is the spouse of Christ, the purchase of his blood; it is a peculiar people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Let us not be ashamed of the church of Christ in its meanest condition, nor of any that belong to it, nor disown our relation to it, though it be turned ever so much to our reproach, since such glorious things are spoken of it, and not on iota or tittle of what is said shall fall to the ground.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill1763 · Public DomainOn vv1–7His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Jewish…
His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Jewish writers connect these words with the title of the psalm, and make the sense to be this; "the foundation" or argument "of it", the psalm, "is concerning the holy mountains" of Zion and Jerusalem; so Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimchi; and the Targum joins them together thus,
"by the hands of the sons of Korah is said a song, which is founded by the mouth of the fathers that were of old:''
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but the words are a part of the song or psalm, which begins in an abrupt manner, just as Sol 1:2 and may be rendered either "its foundation", or "his foundation", and refer either to the church, or to the Lord, and the sense is the same either way; for the church's foundation is also the Lord's foundation, a foundation of his laying; see Isa 14:32 and is laid "in the holy mountains"; alluding to the mountains of Zion and Moriah, where the temple stood, a type of the church; or to the mountains about Jerusalem, by which also the church is frequently signified; and by those, in a mystical and spiritual sense, may be meant the purposes and decrees of God, which are as mountains of brass, Zac 6:1, they are like the ancient mountains for the antiquity of them, and are high, and not to be reached and searched into, and are firm, solid, and immoveable; and are also holy, particularly the decree of election, that source of all true holiness, which has sanctification for its end and means; and is the foundation of the church, which supports and secures it, and stands sure, Ti2 2:19, also the covenant of grace, which is sure and immoveable, and in which are provisions for holiness, internal and external; and is the foundation and security of the church, and all believers; but especially Jesus Christ, the Rock of ages, is meant, the Holy One of Israel, the sure foundation laid in Zion: some interpret these holy mountains of the holy apostles, who were in an high and eminent station in the church, and were doctrinally foundations, as they ministerially laid Christ, as the only foundation; see Eph 2:20, it may be rendered, "among the holy mountains" (w); and so may regard, as Cocceius explains it, the several kingdoms and provinces of the world in which the Gospel shall be preached; and the church shall be established and settled in the latter day even upon the tops of mountains, which shall become holy to the Lord, Isa 2:2.
(w) "inter montes sanctitatis", Junius & Tremellius; so Ainsworth.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley1765 · Public DomainOn vv1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7This psalm contains a commendation of Zion, a type…
This psalm contains a commendation of Zion, a type of the gospel-church, which is here preferred before the rest of the land of Canaan, ver. 1, 2, 3. And before any other place, as being filled with more eminent men, and more of divine blessings, ver. 4-7. A psalm or song for the sons of Korah.
Its foundation - The foundation of the temple of God.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke1810 · Public DomainOn vv1–7The nature and glorious privileges of Zion and Jerusalem,…
PSALM LXXXVII
The nature and glorious privileges of Zion and Jerusalem, 1-3.
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No other city to be compared to this, 4.
The privilege of being born in it, 5, 6.
Its praises celebrated, 7.
NOTES ON PSALM LXXXVII
The title, A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah, gives us no light into the author or meaning of this Psalm. It begins and ends so abruptly that many have thought it to be only a fragment of a larger Psalm. This opinion is very likely. Those who suppose it to have been made when Jerusalem was rebuilt and fortified, imagine it to have been an exclamation of the author on beholding its beauty, and contemplating its privileges. If this opinion be allowed, it will account for the apparent abruptness in the beginning and end. As to its general design it seems to have been written in praise of Jerusalem; and those who are for mystic meanings think that it refers to the Christian Church; and, on this supposition it is interpreted by several writers, both ancient and modern. To pretend to have found out the true meaning would be very absurd. I have done the best I could to give its literal sense.
Verse 1. His foundation is in the holy mountains.] Jerusalem was founded on the mountains or hills of Zion and Moriah. The after increase of the population obliged the inhabitants to inclose all the contiguous hills; but Zion and Moriah were the principal. We know that ancient Rome was built on seven hills.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson1811 · Public DomainOn vv1–7Psa 87:1. His foundation — Namely, the foundation of…
Psa 87:1. His foundation — Namely, the foundation of the city, or temple of God, of which he speaks in the following verses. The psalmist’s thoughts, we may suppose, were strongly fixed upon the temple and city of God; he had them full in his view, and was contemplating the glories of them, and at length breaks out into this abrupt expression, which has a reference, though not to what he had written before, yet to what he had deeply thought of; nor was his meaning obscure to any one who knew what had been the subject of his meditation. Thus Dr. Horne: “The psalmist having meditated on the strength, the beauty, and the glory of the holy city, and imagining the thoughts of his hearers or readers to have been employed on the same subject, breaks forth at once in this abrupt manner.” Is in the holy mountains — Hebrew, בהררי קדשׁ, beharree kodesh, the mountains of holiness; by which he means those mountains, or “hills of Judea, which God had chosen and separated to himself from all others, whereon to construct the highly-favoured city and temple, namely, mount Zion, mount Moriah, and other lesser hills. They are called holy mountains, or mountains of holiness, because the city and temple were, in a peculiar sense, consecrated to God, and because God in an especial manner dwelt therein, the ark of his presence being fixed there. The doctrines, and merits, and laws of Christ are those holy mountains on which his church, here typified by the city and temple of Jerusalem, is built; for it is built on Christ our Prophet, Priest, and King, and other foundation than this can no man lay. It is founded in and on holiness; Christ is a holy Prophet, a holy Priest, and a holy King; his doctrine, and merits and laws are all holy. And holiness is the strength and stability of his church; that, and that alone, will support it, and keep it from sinking: not so much,” says Henry, “that it is built upon mountains, as that it is built on holy mountains;” upon the word and promise of the holy God, for the confirming of which he hath sworn by his holiness; upon the mediation of his holy Son, who was manifested to take away our sins, and gave himself for his church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it; and upon the sanctifying influence of his holy Spirit and holy laws, all which, taken together, secure both the holiness and happiness of its members.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes1834 · Public DomainOn vv1–7His foundation - This is an abrupt commencement of…
His foundation - This is an abrupt commencement of the psalm. The adjective “his” has been supposed by some to refer to the psalm itself, and this expression has been considered to be a part of the title to the psalm, meaning that the foundation of the psalm is the holy mountain where the praises of God were celebrated; that is Zion. This, however, is a forced and unnatural interpretation. The most obvious explanation is to refer it to God, and the meaning is, that his “foundation,” or that which he had founded and established, to wit, the place for his worship, or for the institutions of religion, was in the holy mountains of Jerusalem. It would seem that the psalmist was contemplating the city - looking on its walls, and its palaces, and especially on the place which had been reared for the worship of God, and that he breaks out in this abrupt manner, by saying that this was what God had founded; that here he had established his home; that here was the place where he was worshipped, and where he dwelt; that this was the place which he loved more than all the other places where the descendants of Jacob dwelt.
Is in the holy mountains - The mountains of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is surrounded by hills, and within the city itself there were the hills of Zion, Moriah, Acra, and Bezethah; See the notes at Mat 2:1. These sacred hills God had selected as the place of his solemn worship - of his own abode. Compare the notes at Psa 48:1-2.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures1864 · Public DomainOn v1Psalms 87
Psalms 87
A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah
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1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of thee,
O city of God. Selah.
4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me.
Behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia;
This man was born there.
5 And of Zion it shall be said,
This and that man was born in her:
And the Highest himself shall establish her.
6 The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people,
That this man was born there. Selah.
7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there:
All my springs are in thee.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Contents and Composition.—In the introduction, the glory of Jerusalem is praised as that of the city founded by God, loved by Him with especial affection, and blessed with a glorious promise (Psa_87:1-3). The promise is then presented in its Messianic aspect (Psa_87:4-6); and, finally, in one concluding verse, expression is given to the grateful joy which the promise excites. It is peculiar to this Psalm, that the conversion of nations previously strange and hostile to Israel, and their union with God’s people, are described, not as the homage of subjected foes, Psa_68:30; Psa_72:9, &c. in agreement with the prophecies of the second part of Isaiah, but as an entering into the relations of children and citizens, resembling in many points Isa_2:2; Isa_2:4; Isa_11:10-16; Isa_19:24 f.; Isa 20:23. But our Psalm cannot be older than these passages, and therefore cannot be assigned to the time of David, as alluding by the idea of founding to the removal of the sanctuary to Jerusalem (Clauss). In Psa_87:4, Egypt is designated by the symbolical name Rahab, which occurs first in Isa_30:7, and that as alluding to vain-glorious presumption, while the word itself denotes a mythical sea-monster, Job_9:13; Job_26:12 (Sept. κῆτος), and is thus employed as an emblem of Egypt (Isa_51:9; Psa_89:11), as the beast of the reeds in Psa_68:31. The modes of expression, condensed even to obscurity (Flaminius, Olsh.), bear in their pregnant conciseness and imagery a great resemblance to Psalms 21; Psa_22:14; Psa_30:6 f. The time of Hezekiah has therefore been fixed upon (Venema, Dathe, Tholuck, Hengstenberg, Vaihinger, Delitzsch). For, after the destruction of the Assyrian army under Sennacherib, Assyria appears no longer along with Egypt as a representative of the world-power; but Babylon has already stepped forth into the theatre of history (Isaiah 39; Mic_4:10; 2Ch_32:33). We have no convincing ground for fixing the date of composition as late as the return from exile (Calvin, Ewald, Hupfeld), or still later in the days of the Maccabees (Hitzig) from a supposed reference to the Jews, who dwelt in large numbers in the countries named, and to their pilgrimages to the great feasts in Jerusalem. We can say no more than that a date must be assigned at which the power of Babylon was not immediately felt, because the language does not reveal the excitement and bitterness which are to be found in Isaiah 14, 47—The Rabbins have quite misunderstood this Psalm, and Luther also has given many false renderings. The denial of the Messianic character (Hitzig) is at the opposite extreme to the opinion that there is no historical back-ground, but that the glory of the Church is all that is referred to.
Psa_87:1. His foundation.—The form of the word, and its union with the suffix, make it probable that it is not a passive part.=His founded (city) as Hengst. and others maintain. But the masc. suffix is undoubtedly to be referred to God; for Zion, as the name of a city, occurs afterwards as feminine. We must neither supply a verb: is (De Wette), or: consists (Baur), or, by repeating the principal idea: is founded (Hengst.); nor can we assume gratuitously that an introductory clause has fallen out (Ewald, Olshausen). It is just as improbable that this verse of a single stich belongs to the superscription and announces the subject of the Psalm (Chald., Kimchi, and others). Nor is it a vocative, as most suppose, but an accusative, preceding its subject, depending in thought (J. D. Mich.) on the verb of the following verse. Nor is it necessary, in order to make the formal arrangement of the whole sentence regular, to complete the sense by uniting it to the first words of the next verse (Schnurrer, Hupfeld, Hofmann [so Perowne.—J. F. M.].
Psa_87:2-3. The gates of Zion are mentioned with reference not to the invincible security newly assured by God (Hengst.), but to their accessibility to the many new inhabitants promised to the holy city.—That which is spoken of or in Zion, is not God’s word proclaimed in the Church generally, but the promise relating to Zion’s increasing glory. As this promise is cited in the form of a declaration of God, it is not proper to take the part. pass, impersonally=they speak (Ewald, Maurer, Olsh., Hengst.). The use of the part. in the sing. and that in the masculine, though construed with a fem. plural, is due either to the singular meaning of the plural form employed as an abstract, or to the conception of the part., as being a kind of noun-neuter (Hupfeld). [Alexander: “Instead of in thee, some read of thee, but the former is entitled to the preference; first, because it is the strict sense, and therefore not to be rejected without reason; then, because it really includes the other, but is not included in it; lastly, because it suggests the additional idea of the holy city as the scene, no less than the theme of the prophetic visions.”—J. F. M.]
Psa_87:4-6. I will proclaim Rahab and Babylon as those that know me.—[E. V.: I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me.] The first word denotes a public and solemn acknowledgment. This, probably, is not directly an announcement to or among those who know the name of Jehovah already, that a new accession is made to their numbers, but it is the two world-powers to the north and south, hitherto hostile, who are mentioned as knowing Him. Jehovah will name them publicly, and acknowledge them as belonging to those who know Him. And the Church is further directed to look at other nations, near and far, who are made conspicuous in the world as examples of this relation by the pointing finger of God, and upon whom, successively, God fixes His gaze, as He declares them one by one to be children of Zion. As the nations are to have appellations with the forms of personal proper names, it is better not to limit the term “this” to individual men in these nations (Ewald) who became proselytes “there,” that is, in the countries named (Hitzig.) It brings these nations before us as individualities, and their separate existence as nations is indicated by their being pointed out, and also by the representation that these individualities are regarded, “man by man,” as born in Zion, the city preserved for ever by God Himself. The same thing is also indicated by numbering up in a record (Eze_13:9). They are thus made Zion’s citizens. Zion does not lose her peerless preeminence, no matter how great this accession may be, or how dissimilar the natural characteristics of her new citizens. There is here a forecast of the New Testament idea of the second birth. Yet it is not this idea itself, and it is very different from the conception according to which Zion should regain her dispersed inhabitants (Isa_60:4), and thus become the mother of a countless people (Isa_54:1; Isa_54:3; Isa_66:7). No contrast is drawn here between Zion and the other places peopled by descendants of Jacob, the settlements of Jews in all parts of the world. According to this view, only individuals, “this man” and “that man” belong to the church of Israel, whether by birth or conversion, while in Jerusalem all the inhabitants, man by man, are designated Jews (Hitzig). The interpretation which assumes that for the other nations the enumeration was made collectively, but in Zion by individuals (Hofmann), is equally false.
Psa_87:7. Singers as well as dancers.—[E. V.: As well the singers as the players on instruments.] The forms of the words do not indicate professions or positions, but actions. There is no occasion for doing away with the dancing as an expression of praise (2Sa_6:16; Psa_149:3; Psa_150:4). It destroys the connection to translate: pipe-players instead of: dancers (Symmachus, Theodotion, Kimchi, Flaminius, Calvin, and others). The rendering: The singers as in rows (Aquila, Jerome, Luther), is incorrect. It is possible to resolve the participles into finite verbs (Isaaki, Dathe), but it is unsuitable, and only necessary if the pointing of the last stich is changed with the following sense: all thy inhabitants (Schnurrer, Böttcher) or neighbors (Hupfeld) sing as well as dance. It is undoubtedly a procession of the Gentiles, who offer their thanksgiving to God and the Church, as Israel once did after the passage through the Red Sea (Hengst.). There is no reason why the concluding words should not be placed in the mouths of those who, according to the custom of the orientals, give a lively expression to their joy. Only we must not restrict the sense, and understand by springs specially the fountain of salvation (Isa_12:3). The expression all my springs is itself opposed to this restriction, and includes all means of refreshment. Yet we may be specially reminded of the prophetic representation of a fountain rising in the house of God, from which flows the water of life (Psa_36:9; Joel 4:18; Eze_47:1; Zec_14:8).
[Hupfeld, following a line of conjecture begun by the Sept. rendering κατοικία, assumes that the word is the Hiph. part. from עוּן=dwellers. This is the best of all the emendations proposed; but against it there is not only the traditional reading, but also the fact that the natural sense: all (are) dwellers with thee, would require an unusual construction of the construct. If a suffix of the 1 sing. be attached, the sentence is wanting in simplicity. Yet the conjecture is worthy of consideration, from the altogether unexpected thought afforded by the received reading.—J. F. M.]
The explanation: all my eyes, that is, glances or thoughts, are on thee (Calvin and others), is against the form of the words. The interpretation according to a supposed Arabian cognate form: my whole heart is in thee (Isaaki) is unnecessary. An arbitrary conjecture, with still more violent changes in the text, gives the following sense: masters as (numerous as) servants, all my eyes (overseers) are in thee (Hitzig).
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. God is bound by lasting love to the city in which He has His earthly dwelling, and from which grows the kingdom which He erects among men. He has, for this reason, an essential interest in those foundations, upon which He has established the city, and by means of which He extends His kingdom, and makes this His zeal in their behalf known by word and deed in the world’s history. By His word of promise, He maintains among His people the remembrance of His choosing them, keeps alive the thought of their calling, and gives them a wider view of their destiny. And by deeds of deliverance He strengthens the faith of His Church, excites its love, directs its hopes, pledges and secures, in general, its preservation in the world. Yet its particular condition depends upon the conduct of its members.
2. The praise of Zion is justified because of the God’s beloved city, built upon the rock which He has made the foundation of His dwelling, wherein those fountains are opened by which the powers of the world to come are afforded to believers from the wells of salvation, that they may prove themselves in this world to be the children of God. But these believers shall be gathered out of the whole earth, both far and near. And therefore will God open the gates of His city, that access may be afforded to those fountains, so that children may be born to Him in His city from all nations. And these are acknowledged by Him to be of the number of those who know Him, though before they were ignorant of Him, and they now rejoice with those who praise Him. But if Zion would remain God’s city and enjoy His protection, she must as established by God, ever build herself up on this foundation, and prove herself a mother to His children by her administration and use of those fountains. “It happens often that cities which rise the most rapidly to a conspicuous place in the world, are the most rapid in their fall. In order that the prosperity of the Church may not be thought to be so frail as this, the prophet adds that she is established by the Highest. As if he had said: It is no wonder that other cities nod to their destruction, for they are shaken with the world’s commotions, and have none who can be their everlasting guardian.” (Calvin).
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
It is one and the same God, who has established the Church upon earth, who maintains it as a peculiar institution, and rules it after His holy and loving will.—The foundation which God has laid for the Church, the end to which He has appointed her, and the way which He has pointed out to her.—The destiny assigned the Church as the city of God for all the nations of the earth.—What does the present condition of the Church seem to be, when we consider her Divine founding, and the part assigned her in the world?—The house of God among the dwellings of men; (1) its origin; (2) whither it directs us; (3) how it realizes its aim.—The acknowledgment which God demands, and the acknowledgment which God vouchsafes, are mutually related and mutually conditioned.—The missionary work of the Church: (1) according to its Divine institution; (2) in its actual extent; (3) with the means ordained.—The conversion of the heathen: (1) as God’s will; (2) as the work of the Church; (3) as the delight of the pious.—He who is not a child of God need not expect to be reckoned among the citizens of His kingdom.—God opens to men in the city in which He dwells, three fountains: (1) that of the true knowledge of Him; (2) that of eternal salvation; (3) that of blessed joy.—The Church founded by God, and His dwelling, as the mother of His children.—The best security for the prosperity of a city is the piety of its inhabitants.—There is nothing better for men than to have God as their Defender, Guardian, and Father.—God, the Founder and Master-builder of His city, is also the Father and King of His children.
Starke: If the Church is the city of God, who would be so neglectful as not to seek to obtain its citizenship?—God is (he Master-builder of His Church. Well for him who helps to build; but ill for him who seeks to injure or destroy that structure.—He who is taught the language of the Holy Spirit, is learned in the things of God.—The mutations and increase of languages have become, under the New Testament, a blessing; though under the Old, at the Tower of Babel, they were a punishment.
Selnecker: God’s people are united to God’s word; where, therefore, that word is, the Church of Christ is.—Renschel: A description of the Church of the New Testament, after the type of the earthly Jerusalem.—Rieger: In building the city of God, let us not think so much about the present feeble beginning and the difficulties still to be overcome, but rather upon the sure ground of the Divine promises and the great Master-builder, who has in His own hands the plan of the city.—Günther: It is only those who are born there that are in the city of God; and it is the Highest who has founded that city.—Schaubach: Would that the Lord in His mercy would keep us true to His Church, His word, and His sacraments, kindle this lamp for those among whom it has expired, and in His mercy supply the needs of those that have it, until at last there be one flock and one Shepherd.—Diedrich: Zion, out of which proceeds the word of grace, is the fountain of many nations, and the birth-place of a new humanity.—Taube: It is God’s hand, and no partial human hand, that writes down in the book of life those who are born in the city of God; and just for that reason sharp tests are employed to decide the right to a place there.—Möller: The firm foundation of the Evangelical Church, her sure covenant, and her joyful words.
[Scott: It should especially be remembered here, that almost all the sacred writers belonged to Zion, or to that despised nation which met to worship at Zion; and no nation on earth, or part of a nation, has been preserved or delivered from idolatry, except through the revelations which God made through the prophets and apostles of Israel.
Bishop Horne: In the book of life, that register of heaven kept by God Himself, our names are entered, not as born of flesh and blood by the will of man, but as born of water and the Spirit by the will of God; of each person it is written that he was born there, in the Church and city of God.—J. F. M.]
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Daniel D. Whedon1874 · Public DomainOn vv1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 71. His foundation—God’s foundation, the ground whereon he rests…
1. His foundation—God’s foundation, the ground whereon he rests the temporal structure of his Church, and proposes to accomplish his covenant purposes.
Holy mountains—Or, mountains of holiness, that is, Zion and Moriah, mountains within Jerusalem.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1878 · Public DomainOn vv1–71. The Psalmist’s heart is full of his theme.…
1. The Psalmist’s heart is full of his theme. He states it abruptly in a verse of a single line (cp. Psa_18:1):
’Tis his foundation upon the holy mountains:
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which stands by itself as a kind of title to his poem or inscription on his picture. Zion is a city founded by God Himself (Isa_14:32). Its site is consecrated (Psa_2:6; Psa_43:3; Psa_48:1, and often) by the ownership and presence of Jehovah.
The plural mountains (cp. Psa_133:3) may be merely poetical, or it may refer to the different hills upon which Jerusalem stood, or generally to the mountainous region in which it was situated. “Jerusalem was on the ridge, the broadest and most strongly marked ridge of the backbone of the complicated hills, which extend through the whole country from the Desert to the plain of Esdraelon.” Like Rome and Constantinople, it stood upon a “multiplicity of eminences,” and “the peculiarity imparted to its general aspect and to its history by these various heights is incontestable.” Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, pp. 176, 177. Comp. note on Psa_48:2.
The brevity and abruptness of the verse have led some commentators to conjecture that the first line has been lost, and others to combine Psa_87:1-2 in construction (cp. R.V. marg.) thus:
His foundation upon the holy mountains doth Jehovah love,
Yea, the gates of Zion &c.
The conjecture is unnecessary, and though the combination of Psa_87:1-2 would give a good parallelism, the Ancient Versions support the division of the Massoretic Text, and the abrupt beginning is in accordance with the terse oracular style of the Psalm.
P.B.V. ‘her foundation’ is untenable. The gender of the pronoun in the Heb. shews that it cannot refer to the city.
1–3. The glory of Zion the city of God.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers1878 · Public DomainOn vv1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7(1) His foundation.—This abrupt commencement with a clause without…
(1) His foundation.—This abrupt commencement with a clause without a verb has led to the conjecture that a line has dropped away. But this is unnecessary if we neglect the accents, and take gates of Zion in apposition with His foundation:
His foundation on the holy hill
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Loveth Jehovah, (even) Zion’s gates,
More than all Jacob’s dwellings.
Here His foundation is equivalent to that which He hath founded, and the gates are put by metonymy for the city itself. (Comp. Jer_14:2.)
With regard to the plural, mountains, it is probably only poetical, though geographically it is correct to speak of Jerusalem as situated on hills. Dean Stanley speaks of “the multiplicity of the eminences” which the city “shares, though in a smaller compass, with Rome and Constantinople” (Sinai and Palestine, p. 177).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary1880 · Public DomainOn vv1–7THIS short psalm, opening with the praise of Zion,…
THIS short psalm, opening with the praise of Zion, or of the Jewish Church (vers. 1-3), passes into a glorification of the Church universal, when all the nations have come into it (vers. 4-7). The glorification falls under two heads God"s acknowledgment of those who flock into his Church (vers. 4-6), and their acknowledgment of the blessings which they receive through it. The two "selahs" divide the psalm into two stanzas, each of three verses, and a short epode consisting of a single verse.
Vers. 1-3. The praises of Zion.
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(1) She is built upon the holy mountains;
(2) God loves her pre-eminently; and
(3) a glorious future is assigned to her in the counsels of God.
His foundation is in the holy mountains. God"s foundation the city which he has founded is "in the holy mountains;" i.e. in the hill country of Judaea, a congeries of mountains, "holy," since they surround the holy city and belong to the "holy land". (Zec_2:12)
HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY Vers. 1-7. The habitation of God.
This psalm is true, whether we apply it
I TO ISRAEL OF OLD, God"s ancient people. That the writer had them in his mind, there can be no doubt, whatever other applications we may make of his words. Like the other psalms "for the sons of Korah," it most probably belongs to the days of Hezekiah. The sons of Korah were the keepers of those "gates" which in this psalm, as in Ps 84, they celebrate; and the triumph of which they tell harmonizes with the glowing predictions of Israel as to the spiritual power and supremacy of Israel.
1. This psalm speaks of the proud position of Zion, on the holy mountains, so elevated, sacred, secure.
2. Of the Divine delight in her. God was to be worshipped in all the dwellings of Jacob; (see Lev_23:2) but his chief delight was in the united worship of all the people in his temple on Mount Zion, in the glorious feasts and festivals that were celebrated there.
3. Of her glorious hi story. It may have been, as some have supposed, that the psalm was sung at the public reception into the Jewish Church of a number of converts from heathen nations, and that, as our Lord saw in the coming of the Greeks to him (Joh 12) the forerunners of the coming of all the Gentiles yea, of "all men so the psalmist foresees the conversion of all the nations of whom he speaks to the Name of the Lord. And the change for them shall be so great that it shall be as a new birth; whatever their native country may have been, they were really "born" in Zion. And she shall produce many great and illustrious men. The word rendered "man" (ver. 5) denotes one of distinction and eminence, not an ordinary person. In the great day of manifestation and triumph of the people of God, the Lord himself shall own those born in Zion.
4. Of her great joy. The song and the dance and all kinds of mirth shall characterize her; she shall be a gladsome city.
II TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. The psalm, read as part of the record of the Church, tells:
1. Of her foundation, which is Christ. He is the chief Cornerstone. "Other foundation can no man lay," etc.
2. Her position in the holy mountains; that is, she is conspicuous a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid; the mountain of the Lord"s house, high and lifted up, visible from afar and on all sides. Secure, likewise, as a mountain fortress mightily defended. Has not the Church ever been so? And holy. This is her main characteristic; she could not be the Church of Christ without this.
3. The Lord"s delight in her. She is the purchase of his blood, the subject of his care, the reason of his providential rule. He who toucheth her toucheth the apple of his eye.
4. The glorious things spoken of her. How all forms of hostility yield to her Rahab, the proud; Babylon, the cruel; Philistia, the fierce; Tyre, the greedy of gain; Ethiopia, the degraded; from all such she wins trophies for Christ. The Church"s mission is to gather in all nations for him. And see the heroes of the faith that are "born" in her: what a glorious roll call that is? And the Lord himself shall attest all this. What is the Epistle to the Ephesians but a full declaration of what the Church of Christ shall be and do and enjoy? And other Scriptures declare the same. And the history of the Church is evermore confirming this word.
5. Her abiding gladness. Real religion is the most gladsome thing this side heaven; it is a never-failing spring of pure and elevating joy. Finally, this psalm may be applied to
III THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVER. For he, too, is a habitation of God.
1. Founded on the one Foundation Christ.
2. Is as a holy mountain openly confessed, not hiding out of sight, secure in God, holy.
3. Is the object of Divine delight. God loves our natural life, but our spiritual life is that which he loves most to foster and develop and save that is the meaning of all the disciplines, trials, and varied Divine dealings with us.
4. Glorious things are spoken of him. As to the past, all his guilt put away. As to the present, the hostile forces of the world pride, cruelty, inward corruption, ever worrying the soul, as Philistia did Israel, the lusts of the world, the horde of degrading propensitiesall these which war against the soul shall be subdued, and the varied powers they usurped shall be given to God. And as to the future, what hath God not promised for those who love him? And God will make such heart the means of blessing to many others, and will own what has been done.
5. And he willfill such heart with joy. S.C.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT Vers. 1-7. The glory of the Church.
I IN ITS FOUNDATION. "In the holy mountains.
1. It is founded in the nature of God. In the Divine love. "The Lord loveth the gates of Zion," etc.
2. It is founded also in the nature of man. In his spiritual nature, affinities, and needs. The Church, therefore, has sacred foundations: "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.
II IT IS CALLED THE CITY OF GOD.
1. It Consists of the highest social relationships. Love, the bond that unites the citizens.
2. And of the Divinest order. Protected and maintained by the constant presence of God.
3. And of the truest wisdom. (Ver. 4) "Them that know me.
III TO BECOME A CITIZEN THERE A MAN MUST BE SPIRITUALLY BORN INTO IT. The new birth is the condition of citizenship. "This man was born there.
1. Else it can never become a home to us. Not a congenial place to us.
2. We should not else be able to enter into its highest privileges, rights, and obligations.
IV IT IS THE HOME OF THE NEW BORN MAN, IRRESPECTVE OF NATIONAL DISTINCTION Jew and Gentile, bond and free, king and peasant, may find a home there.
V IT IS THE FOUNTAIN OF ALL DIVINE AND HUMAN GOOD. (Ver. 7) All the truest and most real blessedness. S.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon1885 · Public DomainOn vv1–7A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.…
A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. A sacred hymn and a national lyric. A theocracy blends the religious and the patriotic ideas in one; and in proportion as nations become Christianized, their popular songs will become deeply imbued with pious sentiments. Judged by this standard, our own land is far in arrears. This "Psalm or song" was either composed by the sons of Korah, or dedicated to them: as they kept the doors of the house of the Lord, they could use this beautiful composition as a Psalm within the doors, and as a song outside.
The song is in honour of Zion, or Jerusalem, and it treats of God's favour to that city among the mountains, the prophecies which made it illustrious, and the honour of being a native of it. Many conceive that it was written at the founding of David's city of Zion, but does not the mention of Babylon imply a later date? It would seem to have been written after Jerusalem and the Temple had been built, and had enjoyed a history, of which glorious things could be spoken. Among other marvels of God's love in its later history, it had been untouched by Sennacherib when other cities of Israel and Judah had fallen victims to his cruelty. It was in Hezekiah's reign that Babylon became prominent, when the ambassadors came to congratulate the king concerning his recovery, at that time also Tyre would be more famous than at any period in David's day. But as we have no information, and the point is not important, we may leave it, and proceed to meditate upon the Psalm itself. We have no need to divide so brief a song.
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Ver. 1. His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Psalm begins abruptly, the poet's heart was full, and it gained vent on a sudden.
"God's foundation stands forever
On the holy mountain towers;
Sion's gates Jehovah favours
More than Jacob's thousand bowers."
Sudden passion is evil, but bursts of holy joy are most precious. God has chosen to found his earthly temple upon the mountains; he might have selected other spots, but it was his pleasure to have his chosen abode upon Zion. His election made the mountains holy, they were by his determination ordained and set apart for the Lord's use.
The foundation of the church, which is the mystical Jerusalem, is laid in the eternal, immutable, and invincible decrees of Jehovah. He wills that the church shall be, he settles all arrangements for her calling, salvation, maintenance and perfection, and all his attributes, like the mountains round about Jerusalem, lend their strength for her support. Not on the sand of carnal policy, nor in the morass of human kingdoms, has the Lord founded his church, but on his own power and godhead, which are pledged for the establishment of his beloved church, which is to him the chief of all his works. What a theme for meditation is the founding of the church of God in the ancient covenant engagements of eternity; the abrupt character of this first verse indicates long consideration on the part of the writer, leading up to his bursting forth in wonder and adoration. Well might such a theme cause his heart to glow. Rome stands on her seven hills and has never lacked a poet's tongue to sing her glories, but more glorious far art thou, O Zion, among the eternal mountains of God: while pen can write or mouth can speak, thy praises shall never lie buried in inglorious silence.
Ver. 1. Title. A Psalm or Song for the Sons of Korah. The title prefixed is "A Psalm to be sung by the sons of Korah", i.e. of fallen man. Korah signifies the state in which trees are during winter, when stript of their verdure and fruit. In the same sense it is used for the bald head, when age or sickness has deprived it of its glory and left it without hair. This is a lively description of fallen man. He has lost his pristine beauty and fruitfulness. When he left God and turned to his own ways, he became like the trees of the field in winter, from which the genial warmth of the sun is withdrawn, or like the head, which by the abating of the natural heat and rigour is left naked and bald. But being brought to a light sense of this, and finding himself stript of all the glory which the first Adam had in paradise, he has been led to seek the restoration of his nature, and has obtained of the second Adam, the
Lord from heaven, a much better state than he had lost. Every such person is entitled to sing this sacred hymn, and he is called upon to do it. The name of the person whom he is to celebrate is not mentioned at first, but is soon discovered by the character given of him. William Romaine.
Whole Psalm Bishop Bruno entitles this Psalm, "The voice of prophecy concerning the heavenly Jerusalem", that is, the Church of Christ.
Ver. 1. His foundation is in the holy mountains. The foundation that God has given his city is in "the holy mountains." What are these holy mountains? What can they be but the eternal purpose of Jehovahthe purpose out of which the being of the Church and the whole dispensation of Divine love have sprung? What but those attributes of mercy, justice, holiness, and sovereignty, from the ineffable embrace and holy cooperation of which it comes to pass that his chosen people are redeemed? What but the promise of life that was given in Christ to the elect before the world began? What but the everlasting covenant, "ordered in all things and sure" from which grace and salvation proceed? What but these things, and Christ himself, the Rock of Ages, on which rock we know that the Church is so firmly founded, that the gates of hell cannot prevail against her? Yes, these are the holy mountains, whereon the city of God is built, and in which its deep and sure foundations are laid. The sure decree, the divine perfections, the promise of him that cannot lie, the oath and covenant of God, and the incarnate Son himself, are the holy mountains, the perpetual hills, whose summits are gloriously crowned by the city of the Great King. There the city sits securely, beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth. Andrew Gray.
Ver. 1. Mountains. The situation of Jerusalem is in several respects singular amongst the cities of Palestine. Its elevation is remarkable, occasioned, not from its being on the summit of one of the numerous hills of Judaea, like most of the towns and villages, but because it is on the edge of one of the highest table lands of the country. Hebron, indeed, is higher still, by some hundred feet; and from the south, accordingly, the approach to Jerusalem is by a slight descent. But from every other side, the ascent is perpetual; and, to the traveller approaching Jerusalem from the west or east, it must always have presented the appearance, beyond any other capital of the then known worldwe may add, beyond any important city that has ever existed on the earthof a mountain city; breathing, as compared with the sultry plains of the Jordan or of the coast, a mountain air; enthroned, as compared with Jericho or Damascus, Gaza or Tyre, on a mountain fastness. In this respect it concentrated in itself the character of the whole country of which it was to be the capitalthe "mountain throne", the "mountain sanctuary", of God. "The `mount' of God is as the `mount' of Bashan; an high mount as the mount of Bashan. Why leap ye so, ye high `mountains'?this is the `mountain' which God desireth to dwell in" ...It was emphatically the lair of the lion of Judah, of "Ariel", the Lion of God. "In Judah is God known; his name is great in Israel. In Salem is his `leafy covert', and his `rocky den' in Zion...Thou art more glorious and excellent than the `mountains of the robbers'". And this wild and fastness like character of Jerusalem was concentrated yet again in the fortress, the "stronghold" of Zion. That point, the highest in the city, the height which most readily catches the eye from every quarter, is emphatically the "hill fort", the "rocky hold" of Jerusalem the refuge where first the Jebusite, and then the Lion of God, stood at bay against the hunters. Arthur Penrhyn Stanley.
Ver. 1-2. If we suppose the Psalm to have been composed in the days of Hezekiah, it will appear quite intelligible that the Psalmist should break out so suddenly at the beginning with praise of the security of Sion: he merely lends his mouth in this case to the full heart of the people; The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, is seen in its true light, for this preference for Sion was at that time verified its gates remained closed upon the enemies, while all the rest of the country was subject to their sway. E.W. Hengstenberg.
Psalms 87:2*
Ver 2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. The gates are put for the city itself. The love of God is greatest to his own elect nation, descended from his servant Jacob, yet the central seat of his worship is dearer still; no other supposable comparison could have so fully displayed the favour which Jehovah bore to Jerusalem, he loves Jacob best and Zion better than the best. At this hour the mystical teaching of these words is plain, God delights in the prayers and praises of Christian families and individuals, but he has a special eye to the assemblies of the faithful, and he has a special delight in their devotions in their church capacity. The great festivals, when the crowds surrounded the temple gates, were fair in the Lord's eyes, and even such is the general assembly and church of the first born, whose names are written in heaven. This should lead each separate believer to identify himself with the church of God; where the Lord reveals his love the most, there should each believer most delight to be found. Our own dwellings are very dear to us, but we must not prefer them to the assemblies of the saints; we must say of the church
"Here my best friends, my kindred dwell:
Here God, my Saviour reigns."
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator1887 · Public DomainOn vv1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7His foundation is in the holy mountains.
Psa_87:1-7
His foundation is in the holy mountains.
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A material portrait of the spiritual Church
I. It is glorious in its elevation (Psa_87:1). The spiritual Church is a city set upon a hill. Though elevated it is safe; its foundation is in the everlasting mountains. Upon this rock, etc.
II. It is specially regarded by God (Psa_87:2). The infinitely loving One must be interested in all the works of His hand; even the sparrow that falls not to the ground without notice. But for those Christian men who constitute the true spiritual Church He has a special regard.
III. It is illustrious in its history (Psa_87:3). Many glorious things had been said of Zion. It was said that they should call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and they should call all the nations to it; it was said they should come to see the city of Zion, and flow together to the goodness of the Lord. It was said by God (1Ki_9:3; 2Ch_7:16). But what far more glorious things have been said of the true Church. Read what victories she has won, not only in the time of the apostles, but in every subsequent age. It has been said of the true Church, that it is a royal priesthood.
IV. It is superior to all other communities (Psa_87:4). Compare commercial, scientific, political, and other religious communities with it, and in all that is morally great and glorious, the brightest of their fires pales into dimness.
V. It is the birth-scene of the good (Psa_87:5). In the true spiritual Church, souls are born again.
VI. It is divinely registered (Psa_87:6-7). Jehovah kept a register of all that were born in Jerusalem, and so He does of all who are spiritually born in the true Church. When He writeth up the people. Ah I the time will come when He will write up a register of all true men. No others, however lofty in rank and illustrious in genius, will find a place in that book. No one shall enter heaven who is not found written in The Lambs Book of Life. VII. IT is infinite in its resources. All my springs are in Thee. This is what the poet says, as the representative of all that were born in Zion; and this is what all the members of the true spiritual Church can also say and most deeply feel. All my fountains are in Thee, in Thee, that is, in Zion or in God. If in Zion, it is from God. (Homilist.)
The city of God
I. Its foundation (Psa_87:1). Christs charactor, teachings, miracles, and merit.
II. Its favour (Psa_87:2). God canopies the city with His wing of covenant promise, and belts it with the attributes of His Being.
III. Its fame: (Psa_87:3), (2Ch_7:16; Psa_132:13-17; Zec_1:14; Zec_2:4-12).
IV. Its fraternity (Psa_87:4-6). Here are the true aristocracy of souls, the real nobility of earth.
V. Its future (Psa_87:5).
VI. Its fountains (Psa_87:7). (J. O. Keen, D. D.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible1887 · Public DomainOn v1Psalms 87
Psalms 87
ONE clear note sounds in this remarkable psalm. Its single theme is the incorporation of ancestral foes and distant nations with the people of God. Aliens are to be enrolled as home-born citizens of Jerusalem. In modern words, the vision of a universal Church, a brotherhood of humanity, shines radiant before the seer. Other psalmists: and prophets have like insight into the future expansion of the nation, but this psalm stands alone in the emphasis which it places upon the idea of birth into the rights of citizenship. This singer has had granted to him a glimpse of two great truths-the universality of the Church, and the mode of entrance into it by reception of a new life. To what age of Israel he belonged is uncertain. The mention of Babylon as among the enemies who have become fellow citizens favours the supposition of a post-exilic date, which is also supported by resemblances to Isaiah 40-46.
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The structure is simple. The psalm is divided by Selah into two strophes, to which a closing verse is appended. The first strophe bursts abruptly into rapturous praise of Zion, the beloved of God. The second predicts the gathering of all nations into her citizenship, and the closing verse apparently paints the exuberant joy of the festal crowds, who shall then throng her streets.
The abrupt beginning of the first strophe offends some commentators, who have tried to smooth Psa_87:1 into propriety and tameness, by suggesting possible preliminary clauses, which they suppose to have dropped out. But there is no canon which forbids a singer, with the rush of inspiration, either poetic or other, on him, to plunge into the heart of his theme. Psa_87:1 may be construed, as in the A.V. and R.V. (text), as a complete sentence, but is then somewhat feeble. It is better to connect it with Psa_87:2, and to regard "His foundation upon the holy mountains" as parallel with "the gates of Zion," and as, like that phrase, dependent on the verb "loves." Hupfeld, indeed, proposes to transfer "Jehovah loves" from the beginning of Psa_87:2, where it now stands, to the end of Psa_87:1, supplying the verb mentally in the second clause. He thus gets a complete parallelism:-
His foundation upon the holy mountains Jehovah loves,
The gates of Zion before all the dwellings of Jacob.
But this is not necessary; for the verb may as well be supplied to the first as to the second clause. The harshness of saying "His foundation," without designating the person to whom the pronoun refers, which is extreme if Psa_87:1 is taken as a separate sentence, is diminished when it is regarded as connected with Psa_87:2, in which the mention of Jehovah leaves no doubt as to whose the "foundation" is. The psalmists fervent love for Jerusalem is something more than national pride. It is the apotheosis of that emotion, clarified and hallowed into religion. Zion is founded by God Himself. The mountains on which it stands are made holy by the Divine dwelling. On their heads shines a glory before which the light that lies on the rock crowned by the Parthenon or on the seven hills of Rome pales. Not only the Temple mountain is meant, but the city is the psalmists theme. The hills, on which it stands, are emblems of the firmness of its foundation in the Divine purpose, on which it reposes. It is beloved of God, and that, as the form of the word "loves" shows, with an abiding affection. The "glorious things" which are spoken of Zion may be either the immediately following Divine oracle, or, more probably, prophetic utterances such as many of those in Isaiah, which predict its future glory. The Divine utterance which follows expresses the substance of these. So far, the psalm is not unlike other outpourings in praise of Zion, such as Psalms 48. But, in the second strophe, to which the first is introductory, the singer strikes a note all his own.
There can be no doubt as to who is the speaker in Psa_87:4. The abrupt introduction of a Divine Oracle accords with a not infrequent usage in the Psalter, which adds much to the solemnity of the words. If we regard the "glorious things" mentioned in Psa_87:3 as being the utterances of earlier prophets, the psalmist has had his ears purged to hear Gods voice, by meditation on and sympathy with these. The faithful use of what God has said prepares for hearing further disclosures of His lips. The enumeration of nations in Psa_87:4 carries a great lesson. First comes the ancient enemy, Egypt, designated by the old name of contempt (Rahab, i.e. pride), but from which the contempt has faded; then follows Babylon, the more recent inflicter of many miseries, once so detested, but towards whom animosity has died down. These two, as the chief oppressors, between whom, like a piece of metal between hammer and anvil, Israels territory lay, are named first, with the astonishing declaration that God will proclaim them as among those who know Him. That knowledge, of course, is not merely intellectual, but the deeper knowledge of personal acquaintance or friendship-a knowledge of which love is an element, and which is vital and transforming. Philistia is the old neighbour and foe, which from the beginning had hung on the skirts of Israel, and been ever ready to utilise her disasters and add to them. Tyre is the type of godless luxury and inflated material prosperity, and, though often in friendly alliance with Israel, as being exposed to the same foes which harassed her, she was as far from knowing God as the other nations were. Cush, or Ethiopia, seems mentioned as a type of distant peoples, rather than because of its hostility to Israel. God points to these nations-some of them near, some remote, some powerful and some feeble, some hereditarily hostile and some more or less amicable with Israel-and gives forth the declaration concerning them, "This one was born there."
Gods voice ceases, and in Psa_87:5 the psalmist takes up the wonderful promise which he has just heard. He slightly shifts his point of view: for while the nations that were to be gathered into Zion were the foremost figures in the Divine utterance, the Zion into which they are gathered is foremost in the psalmists, in Psa_87:5. Its glory, when thus enriched by a multitude of new citizens, bulks in his eyes more largely than their blessedness. Another shade of difference between the two verses is that, in the former, the ingathering of the peoples is set forth as collective or national incorporation, and, in the latter, -as the expression "man after (or by) man" suggests, -individual accession is more clearly foretold. The establishment of Zion, which the psalmist prophesies, is the result of her reinforcement by these new citizens. The grand figure of Psa_87:6 pictures God as taking a census of the whole world; for it is "the peoples" whom He numbers. As He writes down each name, He says concerning it, "This one was born there." That list of citizens is "the Book of the Living." So "the end of all history is that Zion becomes the metropolis of all people" (Delitzsch).
Three great truths had dawned on this psalmist, though their full light was reserved for the Christian era. He had been led to apprehend that the Jewish Church would expand into a world wide community. If one thinks of the gulfs of hatred and incompatibility which parted the peoples in his day, his clear utterance of that great truth, the apprehension of which so far transcended his time, and the realisation of which so far transcends ours, will surely be seen to be due to a Divine breath. The broadest New Testament expression of Universalism does not surpass the psalmists confident certainty. "There is neither Greek nor Jew, barbarian, Scythian," says no more than he said. More remarkable still is his conception of the method by which the nations should be gathered in to Zion. They are to be "born there." Surely there shines before the speaker some glimmering ray of the truth that incorporation with the people of God is effected by the communication of a new life, a transformation of the natural, which will set men in new affinities, and make them all brethren, because all participant of the same wondrous birth. It would be anachronism to read into the psalm the clear Christian truth "Ye must be born again," but it would be as false a weakening of its words to refuse to see in them the germ of that truth. The third discovery which the psalmist has made, or rather the third revelation which he has received, is that of the individual accession of the members of the outlying nations. The Divine voice, in Psa_87:4, seems to speak of birth into citizenship as national; but the psalmist, in Psa_87:6, represents Jehovah as writing the names of individuals in the burgess roll, and of saying in regard to each, as He writes, "This one was born there." In like manner, in Psa_87:5, the form of expression is "Man after man," which brings out the same thought, with the addition that there is an unbroken series of new citizens. It is by accession of single souls that the population of Zion is increased. Gods register resolves the community into its component units. Men are born one by one, and one by one they enter the true kingdom. In the ancient world the community was more than the individual. But in Christ the individual acquires new worth, while the bands of social order are not thereby weakened, but made more stringent and sacred. The city, whose inhabitants have one by one been won by its King, and have been knit to Him in the sacred depths of personal being, is more closely "compact together" than the mechanical aggregations which call themselves civil societies. The unity of Christs kingdom does not destroy national characteristics any more than it interferes with individual idiosyncrasies. The more each constituent member is himself, the more will he be joined to others, and contribute his special mite to the general wealth and well-being.
Psa_87:7 is, on any interpretation, extremely obscure, because so abrupt and condensed. But probably the translation adopted above, though by no means free from difficulty or doubt, brings out the meaning which is most in accordance with the preceding. It may be supposed to flash vividly before the readers imagination the picture of a triumphal procession of rejoicing citizens, singers as well as dancers, who chant, as they advance, a joyous chorus in praise of the city, in which they have found all fountains of joy and satisfaction welling up for their refreshment and delight.
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary1892 · Public DomainOn v1Superscription.—“A Psalm of Song for the sons of Korah.”…
INTRODUCTION
Superscription.—“A Psalm of Song for the sons of Korah.” It so far combines the properties of a religious Psalm and a patriotic song that either of the names may with propriety be applied to it. “For the sons of Korah,” see Introduction to Psalms 42. The Psalm was either composed by them, or given to them to sing in the Temple service.
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Occasion.—Hengstenberg argues very forcibly, if not quite conclusively, that the occasion of its composition was the joyful events under Hesekiah,—the destruction by the angel of the Lord of one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians of the army of Sennacherib, which was before Jerusalem, and the consequent deliverance of Jerusalem from the siege and capture threatened by Sennacherib (2 Kings 19; 2Ch_32:1-28).
THE GLORY OF THE CHURCH OF GOD
In this brief and joyous Psalm, the poet celebrates the praise of the Church of the Most High. In so doing, he shows us some of the things in which her glory consisted. The Church of God is—
I. Glorious in her sanctity. “His foundation is in the holy mountains.” The sanctity of Mount Zion consisted in its being chosen by God as the abode of His Church; and the “mountains” (plural) are said to be “holy” because Zion is part of a mountain range. Zion was holy as being the dwelling-place of God. The Church of God upon earth is glorious in so far as she is holy, and she is holy in so far as God dwells in her. “A glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy and without blemish.” God hath chosen the members of His Church “that they should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” “Holiness is inward glory. Glory is conspicuous holiness.” The Church is called to be separate from the world. Its members are called to be saints. Christ our great exemplar is perfectly holy. And His redemption is from sin to holiness. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” “Being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
II. Glorious in her security. “His foundation is in the holy mountains.… The Highest Himself shall establish her.” Jerusalem was “a mountain city, … enthroned as compared with Jericho or Damascus, Gaza or Tyre, on a mountain fastness. In this respect, it concentrated in itself the character of the whole country of which it was to be the capital,—the ‘mountain throne,’ the ‘mountain sanctuary’ of God. ‘They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever.’ ‘God is in the midst of her, therefore shall she not be removed.’ It was emphatically the lair of the lion of Judah, of ‘Ariel,’ the Lion of God. ‘In Judah is God known; His name is great in Israel. In Salem is His leafy covert, and His rocky den in Zion.’ … ‘Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of the robbers.’ And this wild and fastness-like character of Jerusalem was concentrated yet again in the fortress, the ‘stronghold’ of Zion. That point, the highest in the city, the height which most readily catches the eye from every quarter, is emphatically the ‘hill fort,’ the ‘rocky hold’ of Jerusalem—the refuge where first the Jebusite and then the Lion of God stood at bay against the hunters.”—Stanley. The foundations of the holy city were high and firm, and on nearly every side it was guarded by the ancient mountains. So the Church of God is secure. The city of Zion has gone. The Temple at Jerusalem is no more; but the Church of God, which the Highest has established, remains and prospers. The Church is founded upon the rock of Divine truth, and all the raging storms of earth and hell cannot shake her. The Church is guarded by God Himself, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Can infinite wisdom be baffled? Can Almightiness be overcome? Can the word of the Unchangeable fail? Then the Church of God is inviolably secure.
III. Glorious in being beloved by God. “The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” When Sennacherib and his host were encamped before the city, the Lord suffered them not to pass the gates though “all the rest of the country was subject to their sway,” and while the gates remained safe, the whole city was safe. God loved Jacob much, but He loved Zion more. He loves the worship of His people in their homes much, but He loves their worship in His sanctuary more. “A father is glad to see any one of his children, and makes him welcome when he visits him, but much more when they come together; the greatest feast is when they all meet at his house. The public praises of the Church are the emblem of heaven itself, where all the angels make but one concert.” This love of God for His Church should lead every believer—
1. To seek union with the Church. 2. To esteem the worship of the Church a solemn duty and precious privilege.
3. To unite in that worship with deep humility, profound reverence, and great delight. He who “loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob” is present in His Church, and is well pleased to accept the spiritual worship of sincere worshippers.
IV. Glorious in her exalted reputation. “Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.” Many glorious things were spoken of Mount Zion as to its situation. “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion,” &c. As being inhabited by God. “God is known in her palaces for a refuge.” “The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” As to the diffusion of religion from it (Isa_2:3). The city and temple passed away, but true religion has spread widely, and is still doing so. The Church of God has an exalted reputation—
1. As possessing the highest intelligence. The revealed mind and will of God on the most important of all questions, as contained in the Sacred Writings, is given into her keeping. “We have the mind of Christ.”
2. As animated by the Divinest spirit. The true Church of God is composed only of those who “have the spirit of Christ.” He came “not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give His life a ransom.” The spirit of self-surrendering love actuates every member of the Church of God.
3. As engaged in the most useful and glorious work. Its members, in their measure, go forth to seek and to save the lost. They labour to “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,” to abolish sin and suffering, to establish holiness and joy, and to make the moral wastes break forth into beauty and fragrance and fruitfulness.
V. Glorious in her increase. This increase is—
1. Variously composed. “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this was born there.” Some regard these as the words of God Himself, and translate, “I announce Rahab and Babylon as those that know Me,” &c. But with either rendering the idea is, that converts to the Church of God would be added from those nations. Hengstenberg expresses what we regard as the true idea: “At the time when these hopes were expressed, the number of the members of the Church of God had been very much melted down. The ten tribes had already been led away into captivity, and Judah remained alone in the land. In these circumstances, the longing after the fulfilment of the old promises of a posterity to Abraham as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea, must have been awakened with peculiar power, and must have seised with especial ardour upon everything, such as the above-mentioned events in the time of Hezekiah, which furnished a foundation on which such a hope could rest, and brought into view a compensation for the loss of Israel in the coming in of the heathen.” These foreign nations are here set forth as actually incorporated by a new birth into the Church of God. Even the worst enemies of the Jews, Egypt and Babylon, are regarded as citizens of Zion. God Himself acknowledges and registers them as such. The grand fulfilment of this splendid hope is found in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Many shall come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.” They are coming from all nations into His kingdom, and they shall continue to come until all the nations of the earth loyally submit to Him.
2. Distinguished in character. “This and that man was born in her.” The word translated man is אִישׁ=ἀνήρ=vir, a man of eminence. Men of distinguished ability and excellence shall be born in the Church. The most illustrious names in the annals of the world are those of men who have been members of the spiritual Zion. The Church of God has been, and still is, the abode of the men most renowned for knowledge and wisdom, for patience and courage, for tenderness and truth, for piety and usefulness, for independence and reverence.
3. Registered by God. “The Lord shall count when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there.” In the great census the Lord will clearly distinguish those who were born in Zion. The Divine registration is infallible. There are no mistakes in it. None but the true citizens of Zion will be found “written in the Lamb’s book of life.” And the name of no true citizen will be omitted.
VI. Glorious in the joy which her supplies produce. “As well the singers as the players on instruments: all my springs are in thee.” This verse is generally acknowledged to be a very difficult one. Various interpretations of it have been propounded. The idea seems to us to be that the citizens of Zion rejoice with music and song in the fountains of refreshment and blessing which are found in Zion. The streams which make glad the city of God are found there. How abundant and rich and free are the provisions which God has given to us in His Church! We have there the helpful communion of saints, the dispensation of the treasures of the truth of God by the Christian ministry, the exalting and sanctifying and blessed exercise of worship, and the participation in the Divine sacraments. In the work and worship of the Church of God “with joy we draw water out of the wells of salvation.”
CONCLUSION.—
1. Are we born into the Church of God? Are we citizens of the spiritual Zion? Are our names in the heavenly register? Registration in the records of the Church on earth will avail us nothing, unless our names “are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
2. If we are citizens of Zion, let us rejoice in the honour and privilege; for, at such, we are members of the most glorious society.
PUBLIC WORSHIP MORE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD THAN PRIVATE DEVOTION
(Psa_87:1-2.)
Man has the capacity to worship God, and as God reveals Himself man is under obligation to worship Him. To be acceptable to God, this worship must be the tribute of free and sincere affection. Wherever such an offering is made, whether in the secret chamber, at the family altar, or in the public sanctuary, it is “a spiritual sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” It also sends back into the heart of the worshipper that joy and peace which are unspeakable and full of glory. But public worship is more lovely in the sight of God than private worship.
I. Adduce some facts in the Divine administration indicative of God’s-higher estimate of public worship.
1. The facts of the Divine institution of public worship. The Sabbath is favourable for all religious worship. But, when God gave special ordinances to His ancient people, conspicuous amongst them all was this solemn institution of public worship. Three periods in the year were assigned as seasons of holy convocation, &c. In addition to these more conspicuous solemnities, there were the public services for the new moons, the year of rest, and the year of jubilee. Moreover, each day at the Temple was the morning and evening sacrifice offered, &c.… In the fact that God thus instituted public worship, we read His higher appreciation of it.
2. The fact that on special occasions public homage to God has been specially demanded, indicates His high pleasure in it. Many instances occur in the history of God’s dealings with His people when some special interposition was followed by as special a requisition for the public acknowledgment of His supremacy and authority as their Lord and Sovereign.… On occasions like these the elders were commanded to “proclaim a fast, to call a solemn assembly,” &c. So also when there had been a special deliverance from pestilence, or famine, or, &c.; or when there had been remarkable providential bounties, the whole nation was called to public thanksgiving, &c.
3. The fact that the ordinance of public worship is perpetuated under the Christian dispensation. The example of inspired apostles and primitive saints is left on record, in relation to their frequent “coming together in one place” and “with one accord;” and the solemn injunction given as applicable to all ages “not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together,” &c. These facts abundantly indicate God’s higher regard for it.
II. State some reasons why, in the nature of the case, God should prefer public to private worship.
1. Public worship is attended with greater sacrifices. That piety is best which will make the greatest sacrifices. That faith or love is the strongest which will bear the greatest strain. In pro portion as the sacrifice of public exceeds that of private worship is the service of the former more acceptable to God than the latter. It is a higher expression of your piety. It is a brighter test of your faith and love.
2. It exerts a more powerful and extensive moral influence. The influence of regular secret prayer upon the heart and life of a Christian is very great. So also is the influence of morning and evening family worship. But, in the public courts of the Lord, there are many influences flowing in upon the soul, and many emotions are there awakened, which can never spring out of the devotions of the closet or the family. The sanctuary is emphatically “the house of God and the gate of heaven.” The Christian’s graces kindle anew in Christian communion, as the coals glow with increasing light and heat when brought into contact.
3. It stands connected with the most signal displays of the power of Divine truth. Nowhere upon earth has this two-fold work of the Spirit, in comforting the saint and convincing the sinner, been so signally effected as in connection with the solemnities of public worship. It is in the house of God, when the quick and searching words of Divine truth have been applied with wise discrimination, and urged upon the conscience with faithful and affectionate importunity, that the sinner has been the most thoroughly arrested in his course, and made the most to feel himself alone with his God, and most vividly to anticipate the coming scenes of the judgment and the awful issues of the final sentence. Yes, and here also the voice of mercy has fallen upon the ear of penitential sorrow, with the most melting, soothing tenderness, and filled the contrite bosom with new joys and peace, unknown in any other place but heaven.
4. It is the grand instrumentality for perpetuating and extending the Church. The light of this day of Christian activity and benevolence would go out in darkness, ere our generation had passed, were the sanctuary to be deserted, and all manifestations of devotion to be shut up within the family and the closet. How direct is the tendency to all that is good in the ordinances of public worship! Keep up this agency in its purity and strength, and civil and social and religious blessings abound; but, as you abolish this agency, religion droops and virtue fails, the dark passions of the depraved heart rage unchecked till the judgments of heaven cut short the rebellion and impiety in hopeless desolation.
5. It is most like heaven. The worship of heaven is pure and perfect, and also united and public, devotion. The place on earth the most like to heaven, is the house of God on the Christian Sabbath, filled with sincere and humble worshippers. Nowhere shall you come so near heaven in all its glory as when you enter the sacred courts of the Lord, and mingle your prayers and praises with His children, while He bows His ear to hearken.
INFERENCES.—
1. All the arrangements for public worship should be amply and cheerfully provided.
2. A regular attendance upon public worship is demanded.
3. Yield to the influence and instructions here imparted.—Rev. L. P. Hickok, D.D. Abridged from “The Preachers’ Treasury.”
GLORIOUS THINGS SPOKEN OF THE CHURCH
(Psa_87:3.)
Here we have an expressive testimony in favour of the Church. Let us illustrate and improve the subject.
I. Let us illustrate it. What glorious things are spoken of her? She is commended—
1. As having Jehovah Himself for her founder. She became a city through His love, mercy, wisdom, and grace.
2. As having the ark of His presence dwelling in her. To the saints He vouchsafes most delightful displays of His excellency and brightness; most captivating views of His glory.
3. As having the solemnities of His worship performed there. In this city, God is worshipped in spirit and in truth; worshipped in the beauty of holiness.
4. As having His laws to govern her. The laws of God are holy, just, and good; and all are found in the written revelation He has given us.
5. As having constant supplies from Him. The community is a great one; but they are richly clothed, well fed, and kindly nourished.
6. As having His immediate and constant protection. She is surrounded on every side by Him; and, guarding her night and day, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.”
II. Let us improve it. We may learn—
1. In what light we ought to regard the Church. On account of the poverty of her members, and the fewness of their number, her glory is scarcely at all seen, but, notwithstanding her visible aspect, she is yet most beautiful, most glorious (Psa_50:2; Isa_60:18).
2. What reason for thankfulness we have if we are enrolled her citizens. In comparison of this all else should be esteemed by us as “dung and dross.”
3. How much we should exert ourselves to advance her interests. In reference to her, a glorious period is predicted (Isa_60:1-14); and this we should long for and help forward by all means within our power to adopt (Isa_62:1; Isa_62:6-7).—W. Sleigh.
REGENERATION
(Psa_87:6.)
From these words we may derive some instructive and useful remarks. Let us attend to the following—
I. It is highly important to every man to be regenerated. This will appear by considering the language of our Lord respecting it (Joh_3:5-7) the degeneracy of our nature (Eph_2:1); the nature and design of the Gospel dispensation; the relation of the present to another world; the capacity of the soul for enjoyment or suffering; and the unsuitableness of the character of an unregenerate person for future happiness (Luk_16:24-25).
II. The present is the only state in which this momentous change can be accomplished. Death makes no change of a moral kind in man;—his probation terminates on his leaving the present world (2Co_6:2; Rev_22:11), and all beyond is awarded according to character (Mat_16:27; Rev_22:12).
III. Regeneration is not a fancy or dream, but a reality. Its existence is evinced in the phraseology by which it is described (1Jn_5:1; 2Co_5:17); in the accounts given of the first Christians of their having actually undergone a spiritual birth (Rom_6:11-13; Eph_2:4-6); and in the present experience of all believers, who are themselves living witnesses to the truth of this doctrine (2Co_5:17; Col_3:1).
IV. The Holy Spirit is the agent in the regeneration of men. Our own state and character before the change takes place, the images used to describe it, and the positive declarations of Scripture if duly considered will convince us of this (Joh_1:12; Joh_3:4; Eph_2:8-10; 1Jn_3:9).
V. Though the Spirit can do this immediately, yet He generally does it in the use of the means. Those means are chiefly His written Word (Psa_119:93; Jas_1:18; the ministry of the Gospel (2Co_5:18-20; 1Th_1:5); and prayer (Isa_45:19; Eze_36:37).
VI. It is not every one that thinks he is regenerated that is really so. We are not spiritually born merely because we have been baptized, nor because we have correct views of religion, nor because we observe certain rites, nor yet because our lives are reformed. Regeneration is widely different from these things, and those who rest satisfied with these are mistaking the shadow for the substance.
VII. Zion, or the Church, is honoured as the birthplace of the saints. This is that to which our attention is called in the words of our text. It is because of this, amongst the many things spoken of her, that she stands so high in the estimation of God and man (Psa_132:13-14; Psa_137:5-6).
VIII. The work of regeneration is made apparent by its effects and evidences. Such are—deliverance from sin (1Jn_3:9; 1Jn_5:18); victory over the world (Rom_12:2; 1Jn_5:4-5); spirituality of mind (Joh_3:6; Rom_8:5; Rom_8:14); love to the saints (1Jn_4:7); submission to Christ (Joh_6:45; 1Jn_5:1); true obedience (1Jn_2:29); and hope (1Pe_1:3; 1Jn_3:2-3).
And now, am I myself the subject of this change? Have I already experienced it? Am I born of God? Am I decidedly a new creature? If my best interests be deemed worthy of my attention, these questions cannot be improper; nor can I too seriously apply them to myself.—W. Sleigh.
THE FOUNT OF BLESSING
(Psa_87:7.)
“All my springs are in Thee.”
Consider—
I. What is meant by the pronoun “Thee.” The Psalmist meant Zion. All his springs were in Zion. From the time of Constantine to the present the name Zion has been applied to the western hill on which the city of Jerusalem stands. But anciently, and down to the time of the destruction of the city by Titus, the name Zion was applied exclusively to the eastern hill on which the Temple stood. So it was in Zion as being the place on which the Temple stood that the Psalmist found his springs. In this light, the significance of the Psalm is at once manifest. To the devout Jew Zion was the abode of joy and blessing, the place of special Divine manifestation, and of special communion with God, who is represented as dwelling there (Psa_81:1; Psa_132:13-14).
In this Christian age, there is not one sacred place, for all places are sacred. Not one local mercy-seat, for Christ is the universal mercy-seat,—the meeting-place between God and man. The Jew found all his springs in the Temple, because by means of its ordinances he realised the presence and obtained the blessing of God. To us, “Christ is the true temple; all our springs are in Him, and from Him all our streams flow.” But Christ is Himself the gift of God to us. So God is the primal fount of blessing. And through Christ we rise to God, commune with God, &c. So all our springs are in GOD. We trace all our blessings to the heavenly Father. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,” &c.
II. The number and variety of the springs from which we are drawing. How numerous are they! The sun, the atmosphere, the earth, &c.; society, books, &c.; many spiritual ministries, the communion of saints, religious worship, the comfort, and guidance and sanctification of the Spirit, the example and sympathy and sacrifice of the Saviour, and the great love of our Father, which is the fountain from which all other blessings flow.
How various also are they! Varied to suit the many needs of our complex nature in all our various circumstances and moods. When the heart overruns with joy, the joyousness of the ever-blessed God is adapted to our need, and so we delight to approach Him. When the heart is crushed with grief, the tenderness and compassion of Him who pitieth as a father and comforteth as a mother are the balm that heals us.
The number and variety of our needs are evidence of the greatness of our nature. Only great natures have great requirements. God has made us for Himself, and nothing less than Himself can satisfy the cravings of our soul.
III. The blessedness of having all our springs in God. “All my springs are in Thee;” then, they are all-sufficient. They will meet every variety of need. For the perplexed student, conscious of ignorance, and crying for light, there is an inexhaustible spring of knowledge and guidance. For the worn and wearied sufferer, sighing for rest and comfort, there are springs of patience and solace, and even joy. For the Christian, conscious of weakness and imperfection, there are springs of power and inspiration and hope. For the penitent sinner, sorrowing over a dark past, mourning his sin, there are springs of pardon and peace and purity.
These springs are inexhaustible. They are as full and as fresh now as ever they were. Exhaust the solar fires, exhaust the ocean, &c. But you cannot exhaust the Infinite. Our springs are all in God, so they cannot fail; in God, then, they will meet all our thirst for evermore.
Our springs being in God, we may draw from them liberally and joyfully because God is infinitely generous. “He giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not.” His generosity is as great as His resources: both are infinite as Himself. He delights in imparting joy and blessing to man. I rejoice that all my springs are in God. Let us learn to practise more fully than hitherto these two things—
1. Adoring gratitude to God.
2. Joyous trust in God. Come what may, our resources cannot fail.
O God, the fount of blessing,
Our springs are all in Thee:
And though life’s cares are pressing,
Weakness our soul possessing,
Our prayers to Thee addressing,
And looking for Thy blessing,
We find our springs in Thee.
The Preacher’s Complete Homiletic
COMMENTARY
ON THE BOOK OF
Psalms
VOLUME II
Psalms 88-109
By the REV. WILLIAM JONES, D.D.
Author of Commentaries on Numbers and Ezra
Psalms 110-120
By the REV. J. W. BURN
Psalms 121-130
By the REV. GEORGE BARLOW
Author of the Commentaries on Kings, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon
Psalms 131-150
By the REV. WILLIAM JONES, D.D.
New York
FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY
LONDON AND TORONTO
1892
THE PREACHER’S
COMPLETE HOMILETIC
COMMENTARY
ON THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
WITH CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES, INDEXES, ETC., BY VARIOUS AUTHORS
HOMILETIC COMMENTARY
ON THE
PSALMS
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
F. W. Grant1903 · Public DomainOn v1His testimony to His servants.
His testimony to His servants.
A psalm-song of the sons of Korah.
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The eighty-seventh psalm, short as it is, is by its very conciseness open to different interpretations, and is essentially a "deep saying" -a problem to be resolved by the spiritual mind alone. Almost any translation of it must have more or less of the character of interpretation: as, for instance, if we only translate in verses 4 and 6, "that [man]," man is not in the original, and most, perhaps, would rather understand for it, "nation." The result would be to make the psalm a celebration of the conversion of the world to God: each people named being assigned to Zion as its spiritual birth-place. Similarly the ascription of the seventh verse would be to Zion. Cheyne says: "Born there is of course to be explained by the familiar Jewish saying that a proselyte is like a new-born." In this way of considering it, there would be a certain connection with the previous psalm in its ninth verse: "all nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee." But there are two objections to this: the first, that the connection here seems rather incidental than essential; the second, that (according to the prophecies of the period referred to) there is no promise of Babylon and Philistia being converted to God; but the reverse, as we may see directly. We shall have, however, to take up the psalm; as is evident, with more than ordinary care.
The seven verses have an unusual division into 3. 3. 1: which seems however to be that of the very first seven in Scripture, -the creative days (Gen 1:1-31; Gen 2:1-3).
1. The first three verses plainly speak of Zion as the object of Jehovah’s love, Zion itself means "fixed:" and that is what stands out clearly as to the time contemplated. Like Jerusalem which is above, it is the "city which has foundations"; and these are in the holy mountains, images of the fixed, enduring holiness of God Himself. The foundations of the heavenly city are like the jeweled breast-plate of the high-priest, the Urim and Thummim, the "lights and perfections" of Him who is Perfect Light. The stability of the city depends upon there being in it the display in glory of all that God is. It exists because He exists. It abides because He abides. So, on its lower level, with the city below. It is the place of His rest; and rest He never can, except as the requirements of His nature are met and satisfied: there is nothing to produce a note of discord. On the holy mountains is His foundation.
There then His heart is free; and, being so, is poured forth in love: "Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob." His love is active; and these gates are the symbol of activity, -the place of ingress and egress, -the place where wisdom cries and justice is transacted, and which stands for all its busy life, -the city itself, as it were. Zion the royal city is in closest connection with those "dwellings of Jacob" which also -every one of them -Jehovah loves, and therefore loves most of all what is their supremest expression. The "dwellings of Jacob" imply, as we know, not human righteousness but divine grace; and Zion is royalty in grace, as the seventy-eighth psalm has pointed out to us (68-70). "Glorious things" may indeed well "be spoken" therefore of the "city of God."
2. The second section now speaks of a certain testimony which God is giving: "I will make mention of Rahab (pride) and Babel (confusion) to them that know Me: behold Philistia and Tyre, with Cush: this [man] was born there." Here comes, however, the question of interpretation before pointed out. Moll with others would translate, "as those that know Me," which it is allowed it may be rendered; and Delitzsch similarly remarks that the meaning is "for what purpose, or as what these kingdoms, hitherto hostile towards God and His people, shall be declared: Jehovah completes what He Himself has brought about, inasmuch as He publicly and solemnly declares them to be those who know Him, i.e. those who experimentally know Him as their God. Accordingly it is clear that ’This one was born there’ is also meant to refer to the conversion of the other three nations to whom the finger of God points. . . . This one, does not refer to the individuals, nor to the sum-total of these nations, but to nation after nation; by fixing the eye upon each one separately. And ’there’, refers to Zion . . . nations which are born in Zion. The poet does not combine with this the idea of being born again in the depth of its New Testament meaning: he means, however, that the nations will attain a right of citizenship in Zion as in their second mother-city, that they will therefore at any rate experience a spiritual change which, regarded from the New Testament point of view, is the new birth out of water and the Spirit."
This is happily not a question of the language used; and therefore all are capable of deciding it by plain Scripture. The first of these nations, Rahab, is Egypt; and of Egypt God has indeed prophesied blessing as well as of Assyria. These will be, in days to come, conterminous with Israel’s territory; and in that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom Jehovah of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance" (Isa 19:23-25).
Thus Scripture predicts with perfect plainness the blessing of Egypt; and had it been Assyria that we found connected with her, there could have been no question raised as to the suitableness of the interpretation given by the writers mentioned, as far as these two were concerned. But where we might have expected Assyria, we find Babel, and a very different future is assigned to Babel: "For I will rise up against them, saith Jehovah of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name and remnant and son and nephew, saith Jehovah. I will also make it a possession for the bittern and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction; said’ Jehovah of hosts" (Isa 14:22-23). The definiteness of the prediction in the one case shows that this in the psalm is not one.
Philistia is also threatened to be destroyed without inhabitant (Zep 2:5; Amo 1:8), her land to be possessed by Judah. This is another witness that the psalmist does not prophesy the conversion of these nations to God. This interpretation being purely conjectural and opposed to other scriptures, cannot be maintained; while to apply it merely to individuals out of these nations in the same way would be to deprive it of any particular importance, and from another side destroy it as a prophecy.
But if not a prophecy, then it can only be a contrast that is drawn here, between the countries named and their great men; and Zion and hers in the next verse; and this is perfectly natural, after dwelling upon the glory of Zion itself. The world boasts its heroes, and has ever boasted: the fame of the men of Egypt and Babylon is in our ears today -of kings, conquerors, builders, who speak to us in perished languages, from their uncovered monuments. Really, it would seem as if God were permitting all these nations to tell their own story of the men born in them, and that we may contrast it with the voices of the men of Zion, men of a feeble, despised, and scattered people, which yet strangely move us as no others do. On the one hand, the dead past speaks to us from its unsealed sepulchre, a memorial of doom which its own words justify and we cannot regret: there is in it no title to resurrection. On the other, there are voices that never die, -living and life-giving, -that proclaim not their own praise, but ascribe greatness unto God, and live eternally by their own hold of the Eternal. On the one hand, the voice is single -in each generation but a single voice; some king for whom his kingdom seems alone to have existed, and who tells us how many he has slaughtered, that he might have room to dwell in. On the other, the voice of many in chorus, the king of Israel with the gatherer of sycamore fruit, each having his part in a strain which, though it may be often sad, is never discordant, and which ends in triumphant harmony. Aye, "of Zion it may be said that this man and that was born in her, and the Highest Himself establisheth her." How else, indeed, can the mystery of this be explained? And it shall be fully seen in the day to which the psalm looks on.
But this is not all; nay, all would be left out, if this were to be taken as all. Jehovah’s voice has not been heard directly yet; and plainly we shall never get a perfect knowledge of things, except He guide us. He too is the One who "writeth down the peoples," -takes account of all with no mere local or national partiality, but in absolute righteousness and truth. Strange then it may seem that now, when we have His reckoning of things, even Zion’s count of her great men is gone. In all history there seems now but One Name. One Person takes the place of every other. "Jehovah counteth, when He writeth down the peoples, that THIS Man was born there."
3. An enigma, is it? Couched in abrupt, enigmatical language, indeed: but as a secret which expects that we should fathom. And suddenly there bursts out as from a multitude, in songs and with instruments to swell the melody, another voice as enigmatical, and yet with the same appeal to our intelligence, -as if there were no possibility of going wrong in the interpretation of it; a voice which is one and individual, and yet the voice of all; a response echoing Jehovah’s claim for the One Man of His approval: "All my springs are in Thee."
The Christian heart can translate this, and the Christian only. It is not that the Lord whom they have served does not appreciate the service of His people. It is not that their names can be forgotten with Him. But it is the Old Testament version of what has come out in full reality in the gospel of our salvation; -the truth that, for salvation, the cross of Christ had to be our all: death and judgment had to do their awful work upon our Substitute and Saviour; and thus God pronounced upon man; thus He had to put him away from His sight, that He might show us mercy. Those who believe are now therefore by the cross "dead with Christ" and "buried with Christ," so as to be accepted in Another raised from the dead, His work accomplished.
How plain, therefore, that there is but One Man; whom God sees, the perfect Servant of His perfect will; and that Zion’s great men can only come in before God thus. How well may they sing, and how surely they know to Whom they sing, "All my springs are in Thee"! The glory of Zion; the dwelling-place of God in Israel, is found in Him.
Thus the two psalms here come into their place with one another. The servants’ path in the one finds its recognition from God in the other; and the One perfect Servant is distinguished from, while seen to be the sufficiency and boast, of every other. Thus the work of salvation is seen once more to be for holiness.
F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow1909 · Public DomainOn v1This Ps. expands the thought of Psa_86:9. Zion is…
This Ps. expands the thought of Psa_86:9. Zion is the chosen dwelling of God (Psa_87:1-3), the spiritual birthplace of the other nations (Psa_87:4-6), and the source of joy to them all (Psa_87:7). In Psa_86:4 God is the speaker. The mention of Babylon as no longer an enemy of Israel, but as receiving spiritual blessing from Zion, shows that the Ps. was written after the bitter experience of the captivity was over.
1. His foundation] i.e. God's. The holy mountains] the hills on which Jerusalem stood.
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2. Zion] Jerusalem. The dwellings of Jacob] other cities of Judah.
3. Selah] see on Psa_3:4;
4. Rahab] Egypt: see Isa_30:7; Isa_51:9; Psa_89:10.
To them that know me] RV 'as among them that know me.' This man] RV 'this one,' this nation. So in Psa_87:6.
5. This and that man] RV 'this one and that one.' This and that nation shall be converted to God.
6. People] RV 'peoples.' God is represented as making a register of the nations which have been born into His kingdom.
7a. RV 'They that sing as well as they that dance shall say.' The nations which have been born again will rejoice in their new connexion with Zion, and will address her accordingly. 7b. Springs] RV 'fountains.'
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Arno C. Gaebelein1922 · Public DomainOn v1Psalm 87
Psalm 87
Zion and Its Coming Glories
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Another Korah Psalm. Zion is the object of Jehovah’s love where He will manifest His glory. Glorious things are spoken of the city of God. This we learn from many visions of the prophets. When these prophecies are fulfilled and the glory has come, then Rahab (pride--Egypt) and Babylon shall know, as well as Philistia, Tyre and Cush. Nations will be born again and turn to the Lord and share the blessings of the kingdom. Then the singers will sing “All my springs are in Thee,” in Him who dwelleth in Zion. The Christian believer gives now this testimony and knows its blessed truth, that Christ is all and in Him we have all our resources. But what will it be when nations with Zion shall know this!
Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann1924 · Public DomainOn v1The Church of God the Spiritual Birthplace of the…
The Church of God the Spiritual Birthplace of the Nations.
A psalm or song for the sons of Korah, a triumphal hymn in the strain of these inspired singers, celebrating the glory of the Church as the means of spiritual blessings to all nations.
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v. 1. His foundation, that which Jehovah, the Lord of the Church, has laid, is in the holy mountains, the location of the Temple being given in the wide sense, for Jerusalem was situated on several hills, one of which became the hill of the Sanctuary.
v. 2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion, of the Temple situated on that mountain, as the emblem of His Church on earth, more than all the dwellings of Jacob, as the place of His habitation and of the revelation of His glory in the midst of His people. Note that the gates of Zion are mentioned to indicate the accessibility of the city to all men; for the means of grace administered by the Church are intended to bring salvation to all men.
v. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah. The things which are said about the Church of God of all times redound to His glory, because they relate to Zion’s increasing glory; and the miracles of God performed for the salvation of men are spoken in the city as well, that all its inhabitants may be confirmed in their faith.
v. 4. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know Me, literally, "I will call to remembrance Rahab," that is, Egypt, "and Babylon as those who know Me," publishing the fact that people even from these heathen nations came to the knowledge of the truth. Behold Philistia, the heathen country southwest of Canaan, and Tyre, that is, Phenicia, with Ethiopia, the country south of Egypt; this man was born there, that is, people from all these nations, from belligerent Philistia, from commercial Phenicia, from powerful Ethiopia, would be gained for Jehovah; always there would be some out of the heathen nations who would accept Jehovah as their Savior.
v. 5. And of Zion it shall be said, of the Church itself the statement would be made, This and that man was born in her, added to her by his spiritual birth; and the Highest Himself shall establish her, God Himself having laid the foundations of the Church, it shall not be moved, Psalms 46.
v. 6. The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, as one believer after the other is added to His register, that this man was born there, for the Lord knoweth them that are His, and He enters each individual name in the book of life, 2Ti 2:19. Selah.
v. 7. As well the singers, those praising the Lord with hymns of thanksgiving, as the players on instruments, those who leap and spring for joy in honor of the Lord, as David did when he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Mount Zion, shall be there; for the joy of the Church Militant will be continued in the exultation of the Church Triumphant. All my springs are in thee; for Jerusalem, or Zion, the Church of Christ, is the place where the true water of life springs up and flows for all men, inviting them all to partake of its riches to the salvation of their souls. These are some of the glorious facts which establish and maintain faith in the hearts of men, for which the believers give thanks to the Lord with exultant hearts, here in time and hereafter in eternity.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Parallelism is common in Hebrew poetry. (See: Poetry and Parallelism)
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A psalm of the sons of Korah; a song
"This is a psalm that the sons of Korah wrote"
gates of Zion
Here "gates of Zion" represents the entire city of Jerusalem. AT: "city of Jerusalem" (See: Synecdoche)
all the tents of Jacob
The people lived in tents while they wandered in the desert. Here the writer uses "tents of Jacob" to represent where the Israelites live now. AT: "any of the other dwelling places of the Israelites" (See: Metonymy)
Glorious things are said of you, city of God
The writer speaks to the city of Jerusalem as if it were listening to him. This can be stated in active form. AT: "You people in Jerusalem, other people say wonderful things about your city" (See: Apostrophe and Active or Passive)
Selah
This may be a musical term that tells people how to sing or play their instruments here. Some translations write the Hebrew word, and some translations do not include it. See how you translated this in Psalms 3:2. (See: Copy or Borrow Words)
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv1–7 1 His foundations are in the holy mountains. Those…
1 His foundations are in the holy mountains. Those who conceive that Jerusalem is here meant, as if it were said to be founded upon the holy mountains, are in my judgment mistaken; for the relative is in the masculine gender. Some learned men, I am aware, defend this opinion, by supposing that the words, the people, are to be supplied, although it is the capital of Judea which is specified. But it is unnecessary for me to say any thing to prove what is apparent to all, that this exposition is forced. Some Jewish interpreters have thought it most probable that this opening sentence is to be referred to the psalm itself; and, accordingly, they explain foundations as denoting metaphorically the theme, or subject of the poem, because it treats of the holy city Jerusalem, which was situated upon mountains. But I am surprised that they should have been mistaken in a matter so very obvious. It being quite a common thing among the Hebrews to put a relative without its antecedent, this manner of speaking ought not to seem harsh or strange. The name of God is mentioned a little after; and we know that he is everywhere represented as having founded Jerusalem.
Some by the mountains understand Moriah and Zion, which were the two tops of a mountain cleft into two, but this is too forced. As the country was mountainous, we are rather to understand the prophet as having in his eye the several neighboring and contiguous mountains which formed a chain around Jerusalem; for we will see in another place that Jerusalem was surrounded by mountains, (Psalm 125:2.) The true and natural meaning then is, that God chose the holy mountains in order to found and erect his city in the midst of them. For a little after, in the prosecution of the subject, these words occur, “The Highest himself shall establish her.” He is indeed the founder of other cities also; yet we do not read of him saying with respect to any other city,
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“This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it,” (Psalm 132:14.)
There is this difference, which is always to be remembered, that while other cities were founded and built by the guidance and power of God, merely for the sake of civil government, Jerusalem was his peculiar sanctuary, and his royal seat. Isaiah also uses a similar form of expression, (Isaiah 14:32,) “The Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.” Besides, although the whole country of Judea was consecrated to God, yet he is said to have rejected all the other cities, and to have chosen this one for himself in which to reign. Here the question is not about earthly polity, but spiritual government; for the pure religion, and the true worship of God, and the doctrine of godliness, were at that time to be found nowhere but in Jerusalem.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 God did choose that place among the hills, to…
God did choose that place among the hills, to establish Jerusalem and his Temple.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv1–7 Psa 87:1 « A Psalm [or] Song for the…
Psa 87:1 « A Psalm [or] Song for the sons of Korah. » His foundation [is] in the holy mountains.
A Psalm or Song] Made, likely, by David, after that he had settled the ark in Mount Sion, 2Sa 6:1-23, and understood that the temple should be built in Mount Moriah; in which two mountains (or rather one mountain with two tops) the Rabbis say that this psalm was composed, and thereunto they draw the next words, "His foundation," or the argument of this psalm, is in and of those holy mountains. But this seemeth not to be the sense.
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Ver. 1. His foundation is in the holy mountains] Which cannot be removed, but abide for ever, Psa 125:1. Some read it, The foundation thereof, viz. of the temple, but especially of the Church universal, that spiritual temple (built of living stones by God, the best architect, Christ himself being the chief cornerstone), is in the holy mountains; for out of Zion went forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem; which is therefore called the mother Church, and των εκκλησιων ακροπολις, the chief Church, the reef of the Gentile Churches, Rom 11:1-36, the conversion whereof is here foretold, Psa 87:1, and perpetual happiness promised (Damasc. l.
4. c. 13).
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv1–7 His foundation: whose foundation? Either,
His foundation: whose foundation? Either,
1. The foundation, i.e. the argument or matter, of this Psalm or Song. So these words are thought to be a part of the title, the words lying thus in the Hebrew text,
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For the sons of Korah, a Psalm or Song whose
foundation is in the Holy mountains. But,
1. The Hebrew word rendered foundation is no where used in that sense.
2. There is no example of any such like title in the Book of the Psalms. Or rather,
2. Of the city or temple of God, of which he speaks in the following verses. And whereas the beginning is somewhat abrupt, which seems to be the only ground of the foregoing exposition, that is no unusual thing in Scripture, and the pronoun relative, such as this is, is often put without any foregoing antecedent, and the antecedent is to be fetched out of the following words or verses, as Num 24:17, I shall see him, or it, to wit, the star, which follows afterward; Psa 105:19, his word, i.e. the Lord’s; Pro 7:8, to her house, i.e. the harlot’s, mentioned Pro 7:10; and especially Son 1:2, let him kiss, to wit, my beloved, who is there understood, but not expressed till Pro 7:14. And the ground of that abrupt and imperfect speech there seems to be the same with this here; for as the church was there in deep meditation and a great passion about her beloved, which caused that abruptness of speech, which is usual in such cases, so the psalmist’s thoughts were strongly fixed upon the temple and city of God; and therefore this relative his had a certain antecedent in his thoughts, though not in his words. The word foundations may possibly be emphatical, because this Psalm might probably be composed when the foundations of the second temple were newly laid, and the old men who had seen the glory of the former house were dejected at the sight of this, of which see Ezr 3:11,12. And so the meaning of this passage may be this, Be not discouraged, O ye Jews, that your temple is not yet erected and built, but only the foundations of it laid, and those too are mean and obscure in comparison of the magnificence of your former temple; but take comfort in this, that your temple hath its foundations laid, and those sure and firm; sure in themselves, because they are not laid in the sand, nor in boggy or fenny grounds, but in the mountains; and sure by Divine establishment, because those mountains are holy, consecrated to God, and therefore maintained and established by him. Or he may use this word foundations in opposition to the tabernacle, which was movable, and without foundations, to note the stability and perpetuity of this building.
In the holy mountains; or, among or within the holy mountains, to wit, in Jerusalem, which was encompassed with mountains, Psa 125:2, and in which were two famous mountains, to wit, Zion and Moriah. Or the plural number is here put for the singular, whereof we have seen examples formerly; and mountains are put for the mountain; either for Mount Moriah, upon which the temple stood; or for Mount Zion, which is mentioned in the next verse; which is often taken in a large and comprehensive sense, so as to include Moriah, in which sense the temple is said to be in Zion, Psa 74:2; 76:2; Isa 8:18.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On vv1, 4 Some make the first words of the psalm to…
Some make the first words of the psalm to be part of the title; it is a psalm or song whose subject is the holy mountains - the temple built in Zion upon Mount Moriah. This is the foundation of the argument, or beginning of the psalm. Or we may suppose the psalmist had now the tabernacle or temple in view and was contemplating the glories of it, and at length he breaks out into this expression, which has reference, though not to what he had written before, yet to what he had thought of; every one knew what he meant when he said thus abruptly, Its foundation is in the holy mountains. Three things are here observed, in praise of the temple: - 1. That it was founded on the holy mountains, Psa 87:1. The church has a foundation, so that it cannot sink or totter; Christ himself is the foundation of it, which God has laid. The Jerusalem above is a city that has foundations. The foundation is upon the mountains. It is built high; the mountain of the Lord's house is established upon the top of the mountains, Isa 2:2. It is built firmly; the mountains are rocky, and on a rock the church is built. The world is founded upon the seas (Psa 24:2), which are continually ebbing and flowing, and are a very weak foundation; Babel was built in a plain, where the ground was rotten. But the church is built upon the everlasting mountains and the perpetual hills; for sooner shall the mountains depart, and the hills be removed, than the covenant of God's peace shall be disannulled, and on that the church is built, Isa 54:10. The foundation is upon the holy mountains. Holiness is the strength and stability of the church: it is this that will support it and keep it from sinking; not so much that it is built upon mountains as that it is built upon holy mountains - upon the promise of God, for the confirming of which he has sworn by his holiness, upon the sanctification of the Spirit, which will secure the happiness of all the saints. 2. That God had expressed a particular affection for it (Psa 87:2): The Lord loveth the gates of Zion, of the temple, of the houses of doctrine (so the Chaldee), more than all the dwellings of Jacob, whether in Jerusalem or any where else in the country. God had said concerning Zion, This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell. There he met his people, and conversed with them, received their homage, and showed them the tokens of his favour, and therefore we may conclude how well he loves those gates. Note, (1.) God has a love for the dwellings of Jacob, has a gracious regard to religious families and accepts their family-worship. (2.) Yet he loves the gates of Zion better, not only better than any, but better than all, of the dwellings of Jacob. God was worshipped in the dwellings of Jacob, and family-worship is family-duty, which must by no means be neglected; yet, when they come in competition, public worship (caeteris paribus - other things being equal) is to be preferred before private. 3. That there was much said concerning it in the word of God (Psa 87:3): Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God! We are to judge of things and persons by the figure they make and the estimate put upon them in and by the scripture. Many base things were spoken of the city of God by the enemies of it, to render it mean and odious; but by him whose judgment we are sure is according to truth glorious things are spoken of it. God said of the temple, My eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually; I have sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever, Ch2 7:16. Beautiful for situation is Mount Zion, Psa 48:2. These are glorious things. Yet more glorious things are spoken of the gospel-church. It is the spouse of Christ, the purchase of his blood; it is a peculiar people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Let us not be ashamed of the church of Christ in its meanest condition, nor of any that belong to it, nor disown our relation to it, though it be turned ever so much to our reproach, since such glorious things are spoken of it, and not on iota or tittle of what is said shall fall to the ground.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv1–7 His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Jewish…
His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Jewish writers connect these words with the title of the psalm, and make the sense to be this; "the foundation" or argument "of it", the psalm, "is concerning the holy mountains" of Zion and Jerusalem; so Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimchi; and the Targum joins them together thus,
"by the hands of the sons of Korah is said a song, which is founded by the mouth of the fathers that were of old:''
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but the words are a part of the song or psalm, which begins in an abrupt manner, just as Sol 1:2 and may be rendered either "its foundation", or "his foundation", and refer either to the church, or to the Lord, and the sense is the same either way; for the church's foundation is also the Lord's foundation, a foundation of his laying; see Isa 14:32 and is laid "in the holy mountains"; alluding to the mountains of Zion and Moriah, where the temple stood, a type of the church; or to the mountains about Jerusalem, by which also the church is frequently signified; and by those, in a mystical and spiritual sense, may be meant the purposes and decrees of God, which are as mountains of brass, Zac 6:1, they are like the ancient mountains for the antiquity of them, and are high, and not to be reached and searched into, and are firm, solid, and immoveable; and are also holy, particularly the decree of election, that source of all true holiness, which has sanctification for its end and means; and is the foundation of the church, which supports and secures it, and stands sure, Ti2 2:19, also the covenant of grace, which is sure and immoveable, and in which are provisions for holiness, internal and external; and is the foundation and security of the church, and all believers; but especially Jesus Christ, the Rock of ages, is meant, the Holy One of Israel, the sure foundation laid in Zion: some interpret these holy mountains of the holy apostles, who were in an high and eminent station in the church, and were doctrinally foundations, as they ministerially laid Christ, as the only foundation; see Eph 2:20, it may be rendered, "among the holy mountains" (w); and so may regard, as Cocceius explains it, the several kingdoms and provinces of the world in which the Gospel shall be preached; and the church shall be established and settled in the latter day even upon the tops of mountains, which shall become holy to the Lord, Isa 2:2.
(w) "inter montes sanctitatis", Junius & Tremellius; so Ainsworth.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 This psalm contains a commendation of Zion, a type…
This psalm contains a commendation of Zion, a type of the gospel-church, which is here preferred before the rest of the land of Canaan, ver. 1, 2, 3. And before any other place, as being filled with more eminent men, and more of divine blessings, ver. 4-7. A psalm or song for the sons of Korah.
Its foundation - The foundation of the temple of God.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1–7 The nature and glorious privileges of Zion and Jerusalem,…
PSALM LXXXVII
The nature and glorious privileges of Zion and Jerusalem, 1-3.
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No other city to be compared to this, 4.
The privilege of being born in it, 5, 6.
Its praises celebrated, 7.
NOTES ON PSALM LXXXVII
The title, A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah, gives us no light into the author or meaning of this Psalm. It begins and ends so abruptly that many have thought it to be only a fragment of a larger Psalm. This opinion is very likely. Those who suppose it to have been made when Jerusalem was rebuilt and fortified, imagine it to have been an exclamation of the author on beholding its beauty, and contemplating its privileges. If this opinion be allowed, it will account for the apparent abruptness in the beginning and end. As to its general design it seems to have been written in praise of Jerusalem; and those who are for mystic meanings think that it refers to the Christian Church; and, on this supposition it is interpreted by several writers, both ancient and modern. To pretend to have found out the true meaning would be very absurd. I have done the best I could to give its literal sense.
Verse 1. His foundation is in the holy mountains.] Jerusalem was founded on the mountains or hills of Zion and Moriah. The after increase of the population obliged the inhabitants to inclose all the contiguous hills; but Zion and Moriah were the principal. We know that ancient Rome was built on seven hills.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1–7 Psa 87:1. His foundation — Namely, the foundation of…
Psa 87:1. His foundation — Namely, the foundation of the city, or temple of God, of which he speaks in the following verses. The psalmist’s thoughts, we may suppose, were strongly fixed upon the temple and city of God; he had them full in his view, and was contemplating the glories of them, and at length breaks out into this abrupt expression, which has a reference, though not to what he had written before, yet to what he had deeply thought of; nor was his meaning obscure to any one who knew what had been the subject of his meditation. Thus Dr. Horne: “The psalmist having meditated on the strength, the beauty, and the glory of the holy city, and imagining the thoughts of his hearers or readers to have been employed on the same subject, breaks forth at once in this abrupt manner.” Is in the holy mountains — Hebrew, בהררי קדשׁ, beharree kodesh, the mountains of holiness; by which he means those mountains, or “hills of Judea, which God had chosen and separated to himself from all others, whereon to construct the highly-favoured city and temple, namely, mount Zion, mount Moriah, and other lesser hills. They are called holy mountains, or mountains of holiness, because the city and temple were, in a peculiar sense, consecrated to God, and because God in an especial manner dwelt therein, the ark of his presence being fixed there. The doctrines, and merits, and laws of Christ are those holy mountains on which his church, here typified by the city and temple of Jerusalem, is built; for it is built on Christ our Prophet, Priest, and King, and other foundation than this can no man lay. It is founded in and on holiness; Christ is a holy Prophet, a holy Priest, and a holy King; his doctrine, and merits and laws are all holy. And holiness is the strength and stability of his church; that, and that alone, will support it, and keep it from sinking: not so much,” says Henry, “that it is built upon mountains, as that it is built on holy mountains;” upon the word and promise of the holy God, for the confirming of which he hath sworn by his holiness; upon the mediation of his holy Son, who was manifested to take away our sins, and gave himself for his church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it; and upon the sanctifying influence of his holy Spirit and holy laws, all which, taken together, secure both the holiness and happiness of its members.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv1–7 His foundation - This is an abrupt commencement of…
His foundation - This is an abrupt commencement of the psalm. The adjective “his” has been supposed by some to refer to the psalm itself, and this expression has been considered to be a part of the title to the psalm, meaning that the foundation of the psalm is the holy mountain where the praises of God were celebrated; that is Zion. This, however, is a forced and unnatural interpretation. The most obvious explanation is to refer it to God, and the meaning is, that his “foundation,” or that which he had founded and established, to wit, the place for his worship, or for the institutions of religion, was in the holy mountains of Jerusalem. It would seem that the psalmist was contemplating the city - looking on its walls, and its palaces, and especially on the place which had been reared for the worship of God, and that he breaks out in this abrupt manner, by saying that this was what God had founded; that here he had established his home; that here was the place where he was worshipped, and where he dwelt; that this was the place which he loved more than all the other places where the descendants of Jacob dwelt.
Is in the holy mountains - The mountains of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is surrounded by hills, and within the city itself there were the hills of Zion, Moriah, Acra, and Bezethah; See the notes at Mat 2:1. These sacred hills God had selected as the place of his solemn worship - of his own abode. Compare the notes at Psa 48:1-2.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v1 Psalms 87
Psalms 87
A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah
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1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of thee,
O city of God. Selah.
4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me.
Behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia;
This man was born there.
5 And of Zion it shall be said,
This and that man was born in her:
And the Highest himself shall establish her.
6 The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people,
That this man was born there. Selah.
7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there:
All my springs are in thee.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Contents and Composition.—In the introduction, the glory of Jerusalem is praised as that of the city founded by God, loved by Him with especial affection, and blessed with a glorious promise (Psa_87:1-3). The promise is then presented in its Messianic aspect (Psa_87:4-6); and, finally, in one concluding verse, expression is given to the grateful joy which the promise excites. It is peculiar to this Psalm, that the conversion of nations previously strange and hostile to Israel, and their union with God’s people, are described, not as the homage of subjected foes, Psa_68:30; Psa_72:9, &c. in agreement with the prophecies of the second part of Isaiah, but as an entering into the relations of children and citizens, resembling in many points Isa_2:2; Isa_2:4; Isa_11:10-16; Isa_19:24 f.; Isa 20:23. But our Psalm cannot be older than these passages, and therefore cannot be assigned to the time of David, as alluding by the idea of founding to the removal of the sanctuary to Jerusalem (Clauss). In Psa_87:4, Egypt is designated by the symbolical name Rahab, which occurs first in Isa_30:7, and that as alluding to vain-glorious presumption, while the word itself denotes a mythical sea-monster, Job_9:13; Job_26:12 (Sept. κῆτος), and is thus employed as an emblem of Egypt (Isa_51:9; Psa_89:11), as the beast of the reeds in Psa_68:31. The modes of expression, condensed even to obscurity (Flaminius, Olsh.), bear in their pregnant conciseness and imagery a great resemblance to Psalms 21; Psa_22:14; Psa_30:6 f. The time of Hezekiah has therefore been fixed upon (Venema, Dathe, Tholuck, Hengstenberg, Vaihinger, Delitzsch). For, after the destruction of the Assyrian army under Sennacherib, Assyria appears no longer along with Egypt as a representative of the world-power; but Babylon has already stepped forth into the theatre of history (Isaiah 39; Mic_4:10; 2Ch_32:33). We have no convincing ground for fixing the date of composition as late as the return from exile (Calvin, Ewald, Hupfeld), or still later in the days of the Maccabees (Hitzig) from a supposed reference to the Jews, who dwelt in large numbers in the countries named, and to their pilgrimages to the great feasts in Jerusalem. We can say no more than that a date must be assigned at which the power of Babylon was not immediately felt, because the language does not reveal the excitement and bitterness which are to be found in Isaiah 14, 47—The Rabbins have quite misunderstood this Psalm, and Luther also has given many false renderings. The denial of the Messianic character (Hitzig) is at the opposite extreme to the opinion that there is no historical back-ground, but that the glory of the Church is all that is referred to.
Psa_87:1. His foundation.—The form of the word, and its union with the suffix, make it probable that it is not a passive part.=His founded (city) as Hengst. and others maintain. But the masc. suffix is undoubtedly to be referred to God; for Zion, as the name of a city, occurs afterwards as feminine. We must neither supply a verb: is (De Wette), or: consists (Baur), or, by repeating the principal idea: is founded (Hengst.); nor can we assume gratuitously that an introductory clause has fallen out (Ewald, Olshausen). It is just as improbable that this verse of a single stich belongs to the superscription and announces the subject of the Psalm (Chald., Kimchi, and others). Nor is it a vocative, as most suppose, but an accusative, preceding its subject, depending in thought (J. D. Mich.) on the verb of the following verse. Nor is it necessary, in order to make the formal arrangement of the whole sentence regular, to complete the sense by uniting it to the first words of the next verse (Schnurrer, Hupfeld, Hofmann [so Perowne.—J. F. M.].
Psa_87:2-3. The gates of Zion are mentioned with reference not to the invincible security newly assured by God (Hengst.), but to their accessibility to the many new inhabitants promised to the holy city.—That which is spoken of or in Zion, is not God’s word proclaimed in the Church generally, but the promise relating to Zion’s increasing glory. As this promise is cited in the form of a declaration of God, it is not proper to take the part. pass, impersonally=they speak (Ewald, Maurer, Olsh., Hengst.). The use of the part. in the sing. and that in the masculine, though construed with a fem. plural, is due either to the singular meaning of the plural form employed as an abstract, or to the conception of the part., as being a kind of noun-neuter (Hupfeld). [Alexander: “Instead of in thee, some read of thee, but the former is entitled to the preference; first, because it is the strict sense, and therefore not to be rejected without reason; then, because it really includes the other, but is not included in it; lastly, because it suggests the additional idea of the holy city as the scene, no less than the theme of the prophetic visions.”—J. F. M.]
Psa_87:4-6. I will proclaim Rahab and Babylon as those that know me.—[E. V.: I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me.] The first word denotes a public and solemn acknowledgment. This, probably, is not directly an announcement to or among those who know the name of Jehovah already, that a new accession is made to their numbers, but it is the two world-powers to the north and south, hitherto hostile, who are mentioned as knowing Him. Jehovah will name them publicly, and acknowledge them as belonging to those who know Him. And the Church is further directed to look at other nations, near and far, who are made conspicuous in the world as examples of this relation by the pointing finger of God, and upon whom, successively, God fixes His gaze, as He declares them one by one to be children of Zion. As the nations are to have appellations with the forms of personal proper names, it is better not to limit the term “this” to individual men in these nations (Ewald) who became proselytes “there,” that is, in the countries named (Hitzig.) It brings these nations before us as individualities, and their separate existence as nations is indicated by their being pointed out, and also by the representation that these individualities are regarded, “man by man,” as born in Zion, the city preserved for ever by God Himself. The same thing is also indicated by numbering up in a record (Eze_13:9). They are thus made Zion’s citizens. Zion does not lose her peerless preeminence, no matter how great this accession may be, or how dissimilar the natural characteristics of her new citizens. There is here a forecast of the New Testament idea of the second birth. Yet it is not this idea itself, and it is very different from the conception according to which Zion should regain her dispersed inhabitants (Isa_60:4), and thus become the mother of a countless people (Isa_54:1; Isa_54:3; Isa_66:7). No contrast is drawn here between Zion and the other places peopled by descendants of Jacob, the settlements of Jews in all parts of the world. According to this view, only individuals, “this man” and “that man” belong to the church of Israel, whether by birth or conversion, while in Jerusalem all the inhabitants, man by man, are designated Jews (Hitzig). The interpretation which assumes that for the other nations the enumeration was made collectively, but in Zion by individuals (Hofmann), is equally false.
Psa_87:7. Singers as well as dancers.—[E. V.: As well the singers as the players on instruments.] The forms of the words do not indicate professions or positions, but actions. There is no occasion for doing away with the dancing as an expression of praise (2Sa_6:16; Psa_149:3; Psa_150:4). It destroys the connection to translate: pipe-players instead of: dancers (Symmachus, Theodotion, Kimchi, Flaminius, Calvin, and others). The rendering: The singers as in rows (Aquila, Jerome, Luther), is incorrect. It is possible to resolve the participles into finite verbs (Isaaki, Dathe), but it is unsuitable, and only necessary if the pointing of the last stich is changed with the following sense: all thy inhabitants (Schnurrer, Böttcher) or neighbors (Hupfeld) sing as well as dance. It is undoubtedly a procession of the Gentiles, who offer their thanksgiving to God and the Church, as Israel once did after the passage through the Red Sea (Hengst.). There is no reason why the concluding words should not be placed in the mouths of those who, according to the custom of the orientals, give a lively expression to their joy. Only we must not restrict the sense, and understand by springs specially the fountain of salvation (Isa_12:3). The expression all my springs is itself opposed to this restriction, and includes all means of refreshment. Yet we may be specially reminded of the prophetic representation of a fountain rising in the house of God, from which flows the water of life (Psa_36:9; Joel 4:18; Eze_47:1; Zec_14:8).
[Hupfeld, following a line of conjecture begun by the Sept. rendering κατοικία, assumes that the word is the Hiph. part. from עוּן=dwellers. This is the best of all the emendations proposed; but against it there is not only the traditional reading, but also the fact that the natural sense: all (are) dwellers with thee, would require an unusual construction of the construct. If a suffix of the 1 sing. be attached, the sentence is wanting in simplicity. Yet the conjecture is worthy of consideration, from the altogether unexpected thought afforded by the received reading.—J. F. M.]
The explanation: all my eyes, that is, glances or thoughts, are on thee (Calvin and others), is against the form of the words. The interpretation according to a supposed Arabian cognate form: my whole heart is in thee (Isaaki) is unnecessary. An arbitrary conjecture, with still more violent changes in the text, gives the following sense: masters as (numerous as) servants, all my eyes (overseers) are in thee (Hitzig).
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. God is bound by lasting love to the city in which He has His earthly dwelling, and from which grows the kingdom which He erects among men. He has, for this reason, an essential interest in those foundations, upon which He has established the city, and by means of which He extends His kingdom, and makes this His zeal in their behalf known by word and deed in the world’s history. By His word of promise, He maintains among His people the remembrance of His choosing them, keeps alive the thought of their calling, and gives them a wider view of their destiny. And by deeds of deliverance He strengthens the faith of His Church, excites its love, directs its hopes, pledges and secures, in general, its preservation in the world. Yet its particular condition depends upon the conduct of its members.
2. The praise of Zion is justified because of the God’s beloved city, built upon the rock which He has made the foundation of His dwelling, wherein those fountains are opened by which the powers of the world to come are afforded to believers from the wells of salvation, that they may prove themselves in this world to be the children of God. But these believers shall be gathered out of the whole earth, both far and near. And therefore will God open the gates of His city, that access may be afforded to those fountains, so that children may be born to Him in His city from all nations. And these are acknowledged by Him to be of the number of those who know Him, though before they were ignorant of Him, and they now rejoice with those who praise Him. But if Zion would remain God’s city and enjoy His protection, she must as established by God, ever build herself up on this foundation, and prove herself a mother to His children by her administration and use of those fountains. “It happens often that cities which rise the most rapidly to a conspicuous place in the world, are the most rapid in their fall. In order that the prosperity of the Church may not be thought to be so frail as this, the prophet adds that she is established by the Highest. As if he had said: It is no wonder that other cities nod to their destruction, for they are shaken with the world’s commotions, and have none who can be their everlasting guardian.” (Calvin).
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
It is one and the same God, who has established the Church upon earth, who maintains it as a peculiar institution, and rules it after His holy and loving will.—The foundation which God has laid for the Church, the end to which He has appointed her, and the way which He has pointed out to her.—The destiny assigned the Church as the city of God for all the nations of the earth.—What does the present condition of the Church seem to be, when we consider her Divine founding, and the part assigned her in the world?—The house of God among the dwellings of men; (1) its origin; (2) whither it directs us; (3) how it realizes its aim.—The acknowledgment which God demands, and the acknowledgment which God vouchsafes, are mutually related and mutually conditioned.—The missionary work of the Church: (1) according to its Divine institution; (2) in its actual extent; (3) with the means ordained.—The conversion of the heathen: (1) as God’s will; (2) as the work of the Church; (3) as the delight of the pious.—He who is not a child of God need not expect to be reckoned among the citizens of His kingdom.—God opens to men in the city in which He dwells, three fountains: (1) that of the true knowledge of Him; (2) that of eternal salvation; (3) that of blessed joy.—The Church founded by God, and His dwelling, as the mother of His children.—The best security for the prosperity of a city is the piety of its inhabitants.—There is nothing better for men than to have God as their Defender, Guardian, and Father.—God, the Founder and Master-builder of His city, is also the Father and King of His children.
Starke: If the Church is the city of God, who would be so neglectful as not to seek to obtain its citizenship?—God is (he Master-builder of His Church. Well for him who helps to build; but ill for him who seeks to injure or destroy that structure.—He who is taught the language of the Holy Spirit, is learned in the things of God.—The mutations and increase of languages have become, under the New Testament, a blessing; though under the Old, at the Tower of Babel, they were a punishment.
Selnecker: God’s people are united to God’s word; where, therefore, that word is, the Church of Christ is.—Renschel: A description of the Church of the New Testament, after the type of the earthly Jerusalem.—Rieger: In building the city of God, let us not think so much about the present feeble beginning and the difficulties still to be overcome, but rather upon the sure ground of the Divine promises and the great Master-builder, who has in His own hands the plan of the city.—Günther: It is only those who are born there that are in the city of God; and it is the Highest who has founded that city.—Schaubach: Would that the Lord in His mercy would keep us true to His Church, His word, and His sacraments, kindle this lamp for those among whom it has expired, and in His mercy supply the needs of those that have it, until at last there be one flock and one Shepherd.—Diedrich: Zion, out of which proceeds the word of grace, is the fountain of many nations, and the birth-place of a new humanity.—Taube: It is God’s hand, and no partial human hand, that writes down in the book of life those who are born in the city of God; and just for that reason sharp tests are employed to decide the right to a place there.—Möller: The firm foundation of the Evangelical Church, her sure covenant, and her joyful words.
[Scott: It should especially be remembered here, that almost all the sacred writers belonged to Zion, or to that despised nation which met to worship at Zion; and no nation on earth, or part of a nation, has been preserved or delivered from idolatry, except through the revelations which God made through the prophets and apostles of Israel.
Bishop Horne: In the book of life, that register of heaven kept by God Himself, our names are entered, not as born of flesh and blood by the will of man, but as born of water and the Spirit by the will of God; of each person it is written that he was born there, in the Church and city of God.—J. F. M.]
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 1. His foundation—God’s foundation, the ground whereon he rests…
1. His foundation—God’s foundation, the ground whereon he rests the temporal structure of his Church, and proposes to accomplish his covenant purposes.
Holy mountains—Or, mountains of holiness, that is, Zion and Moriah, mountains within Jerusalem.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–7 1. The Psalmist’s heart is full of his theme.…
1. The Psalmist’s heart is full of his theme. He states it abruptly in a verse of a single line (cp. Psa_18:1):
’Tis his foundation upon the holy mountains:
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which stands by itself as a kind of title to his poem or inscription on his picture. Zion is a city founded by God Himself (Isa_14:32). Its site is consecrated (Psa_2:6; Psa_43:3; Psa_48:1, and often) by the ownership and presence of Jehovah.
The plural mountains (cp. Psa_133:3) may be merely poetical, or it may refer to the different hills upon which Jerusalem stood, or generally to the mountainous region in which it was situated. “Jerusalem was on the ridge, the broadest and most strongly marked ridge of the backbone of the complicated hills, which extend through the whole country from the Desert to the plain of Esdraelon.” Like Rome and Constantinople, it stood upon a “multiplicity of eminences,” and “the peculiarity imparted to its general aspect and to its history by these various heights is incontestable.” Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, pp. 176, 177. Comp. note on Psa_48:2.
The brevity and abruptness of the verse have led some commentators to conjecture that the first line has been lost, and others to combine Psa_87:1-2 in construction (cp. R.V. marg.) thus:
His foundation upon the holy mountains doth Jehovah love,
Yea, the gates of Zion &c.
The conjecture is unnecessary, and though the combination of Psa_87:1-2 would give a good parallelism, the Ancient Versions support the division of the Massoretic Text, and the abrupt beginning is in accordance with the terse oracular style of the Psalm.
P.B.V. ‘her foundation’ is untenable. The gender of the pronoun in the Heb. shews that it cannot refer to the city.
1–3. The glory of Zion the city of God.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (1) His foundation.—This abrupt commencement with a clause without…
(1) His foundation.—This abrupt commencement with a clause without a verb has led to the conjecture that a line has dropped away. But this is unnecessary if we neglect the accents, and take gates of Zion in apposition with His foundation:
His foundation on the holy hill
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Loveth Jehovah, (even) Zion’s gates,
More than all Jacob’s dwellings.
Here His foundation is equivalent to that which He hath founded, and the gates are put by metonymy for the city itself. (Comp. Jer_14:2.)
With regard to the plural, mountains, it is probably only poetical, though geographically it is correct to speak of Jerusalem as situated on hills. Dean Stanley speaks of “the multiplicity of the eminences” which the city “shares, though in a smaller compass, with Rome and Constantinople” (Sinai and Palestine, p. 177).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1–7 THIS short psalm, opening with the praise of Zion,…
THIS short psalm, opening with the praise of Zion, or of the Jewish Church (vers. 1-3), passes into a glorification of the Church universal, when all the nations have come into it (vers. 4-7). The glorification falls under two heads God"s acknowledgment of those who flock into his Church (vers. 4-6), and their acknowledgment of the blessings which they receive through it. The two "selahs" divide the psalm into two stanzas, each of three verses, and a short epode consisting of a single verse.
Vers. 1-3. The praises of Zion.
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(1) She is built upon the holy mountains;
(2) God loves her pre-eminently; and
(3) a glorious future is assigned to her in the counsels of God.
His foundation is in the holy mountains. God"s foundation the city which he has founded is "in the holy mountains;" i.e. in the hill country of Judaea, a congeries of mountains, "holy," since they surround the holy city and belong to the "holy land". (Zec_2:12)
HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY Vers. 1-7. The habitation of God.
This psalm is true, whether we apply it
I TO ISRAEL OF OLD, God"s ancient people. That the writer had them in his mind, there can be no doubt, whatever other applications we may make of his words. Like the other psalms "for the sons of Korah," it most probably belongs to the days of Hezekiah. The sons of Korah were the keepers of those "gates" which in this psalm, as in Ps 84, they celebrate; and the triumph of which they tell harmonizes with the glowing predictions of Israel as to the spiritual power and supremacy of Israel.
1. This psalm speaks of the proud position of Zion, on the holy mountains, so elevated, sacred, secure.
2. Of the Divine delight in her. God was to be worshipped in all the dwellings of Jacob; (see Lev_23:2) but his chief delight was in the united worship of all the people in his temple on Mount Zion, in the glorious feasts and festivals that were celebrated there.
3. Of her glorious hi story. It may have been, as some have supposed, that the psalm was sung at the public reception into the Jewish Church of a number of converts from heathen nations, and that, as our Lord saw in the coming of the Greeks to him (Joh 12) the forerunners of the coming of all the Gentiles yea, of "all men so the psalmist foresees the conversion of all the nations of whom he speaks to the Name of the Lord. And the change for them shall be so great that it shall be as a new birth; whatever their native country may have been, they were really "born" in Zion. And she shall produce many great and illustrious men. The word rendered "man" (ver. 5) denotes one of distinction and eminence, not an ordinary person. In the great day of manifestation and triumph of the people of God, the Lord himself shall own those born in Zion.
4. Of her great joy. The song and the dance and all kinds of mirth shall characterize her; she shall be a gladsome city.
II TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. The psalm, read as part of the record of the Church, tells:
1. Of her foundation, which is Christ. He is the chief Cornerstone. "Other foundation can no man lay," etc.
2. Her position in the holy mountains; that is, she is conspicuous a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid; the mountain of the Lord"s house, high and lifted up, visible from afar and on all sides. Secure, likewise, as a mountain fortress mightily defended. Has not the Church ever been so? And holy. This is her main characteristic; she could not be the Church of Christ without this.
3. The Lord"s delight in her. She is the purchase of his blood, the subject of his care, the reason of his providential rule. He who toucheth her toucheth the apple of his eye.
4. The glorious things spoken of her. How all forms of hostility yield to her Rahab, the proud; Babylon, the cruel; Philistia, the fierce; Tyre, the greedy of gain; Ethiopia, the degraded; from all such she wins trophies for Christ. The Church"s mission is to gather in all nations for him. And see the heroes of the faith that are "born" in her: what a glorious roll call that is? And the Lord himself shall attest all this. What is the Epistle to the Ephesians but a full declaration of what the Church of Christ shall be and do and enjoy? And other Scriptures declare the same. And the history of the Church is evermore confirming this word.
5. Her abiding gladness. Real religion is the most gladsome thing this side heaven; it is a never-failing spring of pure and elevating joy. Finally, this psalm may be applied to
III THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVER. For he, too, is a habitation of God.
1. Founded on the one Foundation Christ.
2. Is as a holy mountain openly confessed, not hiding out of sight, secure in God, holy.
3. Is the object of Divine delight. God loves our natural life, but our spiritual life is that which he loves most to foster and develop and save that is the meaning of all the disciplines, trials, and varied Divine dealings with us.
4. Glorious things are spoken of him. As to the past, all his guilt put away. As to the present, the hostile forces of the world pride, cruelty, inward corruption, ever worrying the soul, as Philistia did Israel, the lusts of the world, the horde of degrading propensitiesall these which war against the soul shall be subdued, and the varied powers they usurped shall be given to God. And as to the future, what hath God not promised for those who love him? And God will make such heart the means of blessing to many others, and will own what has been done.
5. And he willfill such heart with joy. S.C.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT Vers. 1-7. The glory of the Church.
I IN ITS FOUNDATION. "In the holy mountains.
1. It is founded in the nature of God. In the Divine love. "The Lord loveth the gates of Zion," etc.
2. It is founded also in the nature of man. In his spiritual nature, affinities, and needs. The Church, therefore, has sacred foundations: "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.
II IT IS CALLED THE CITY OF GOD.
1. It Consists of the highest social relationships. Love, the bond that unites the citizens.
2. And of the Divinest order. Protected and maintained by the constant presence of God.
3. And of the truest wisdom. (Ver. 4) "Them that know me.
III TO BECOME A CITIZEN THERE A MAN MUST BE SPIRITUALLY BORN INTO IT. The new birth is the condition of citizenship. "This man was born there.
1. Else it can never become a home to us. Not a congenial place to us.
2. We should not else be able to enter into its highest privileges, rights, and obligations.
IV IT IS THE HOME OF THE NEW BORN MAN, IRRESPECTVE OF NATIONAL DISTINCTION Jew and Gentile, bond and free, king and peasant, may find a home there.
V IT IS THE FOUNTAIN OF ALL DIVINE AND HUMAN GOOD. (Ver. 7) All the truest and most real blessedness. S.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain On vv1–7 A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.…
A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. A sacred hymn and a national lyric. A theocracy blends the religious and the patriotic ideas in one; and in proportion as nations become Christianized, their popular songs will become deeply imbued with pious sentiments. Judged by this standard, our own land is far in arrears. This "Psalm or song" was either composed by the sons of Korah, or dedicated to them: as they kept the doors of the house of the Lord, they could use this beautiful composition as a Psalm within the doors, and as a song outside.
The song is in honour of Zion, or Jerusalem, and it treats of God's favour to that city among the mountains, the prophecies which made it illustrious, and the honour of being a native of it. Many conceive that it was written at the founding of David's city of Zion, but does not the mention of Babylon imply a later date? It would seem to have been written after Jerusalem and the Temple had been built, and had enjoyed a history, of which glorious things could be spoken. Among other marvels of God's love in its later history, it had been untouched by Sennacherib when other cities of Israel and Judah had fallen victims to his cruelty. It was in Hezekiah's reign that Babylon became prominent, when the ambassadors came to congratulate the king concerning his recovery, at that time also Tyre would be more famous than at any period in David's day. But as we have no information, and the point is not important, we may leave it, and proceed to meditate upon the Psalm itself. We have no need to divide so brief a song.
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Ver. 1. His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Psalm begins abruptly, the poet's heart was full, and it gained vent on a sudden.
"God's foundation stands forever
On the holy mountain towers;
Sion's gates Jehovah favours
More than Jacob's thousand bowers."
Sudden passion is evil, but bursts of holy joy are most precious. God has chosen to found his earthly temple upon the mountains; he might have selected other spots, but it was his pleasure to have his chosen abode upon Zion. His election made the mountains holy, they were by his determination ordained and set apart for the Lord's use.
The foundation of the church, which is the mystical Jerusalem, is laid in the eternal, immutable, and invincible decrees of Jehovah. He wills that the church shall be, he settles all arrangements for her calling, salvation, maintenance and perfection, and all his attributes, like the mountains round about Jerusalem, lend their strength for her support. Not on the sand of carnal policy, nor in the morass of human kingdoms, has the Lord founded his church, but on his own power and godhead, which are pledged for the establishment of his beloved church, which is to him the chief of all his works. What a theme for meditation is the founding of the church of God in the ancient covenant engagements of eternity; the abrupt character of this first verse indicates long consideration on the part of the writer, leading up to his bursting forth in wonder and adoration. Well might such a theme cause his heart to glow. Rome stands on her seven hills and has never lacked a poet's tongue to sing her glories, but more glorious far art thou, O Zion, among the eternal mountains of God: while pen can write or mouth can speak, thy praises shall never lie buried in inglorious silence.
Ver. 1. Title. A Psalm or Song for the Sons of Korah. The title prefixed is "A Psalm to be sung by the sons of Korah", i.e. of fallen man. Korah signifies the state in which trees are during winter, when stript of their verdure and fruit. In the same sense it is used for the bald head, when age or sickness has deprived it of its glory and left it without hair. This is a lively description of fallen man. He has lost his pristine beauty and fruitfulness. When he left God and turned to his own ways, he became like the trees of the field in winter, from which the genial warmth of the sun is withdrawn, or like the head, which by the abating of the natural heat and rigour is left naked and bald. But being brought to a light sense of this, and finding himself stript of all the glory which the first Adam had in paradise, he has been led to seek the restoration of his nature, and has obtained of the second Adam, the
Lord from heaven, a much better state than he had lost. Every such person is entitled to sing this sacred hymn, and he is called upon to do it. The name of the person whom he is to celebrate is not mentioned at first, but is soon discovered by the character given of him. William Romaine.
Whole Psalm Bishop Bruno entitles this Psalm, "The voice of prophecy concerning the heavenly Jerusalem", that is, the Church of Christ.
Ver. 1. His foundation is in the holy mountains. The foundation that God has given his city is in "the holy mountains." What are these holy mountains? What can they be but the eternal purpose of Jehovahthe purpose out of which the being of the Church and the whole dispensation of Divine love have sprung? What but those attributes of mercy, justice, holiness, and sovereignty, from the ineffable embrace and holy cooperation of which it comes to pass that his chosen people are redeemed? What but the promise of life that was given in Christ to the elect before the world began? What but the everlasting covenant, "ordered in all things and sure" from which grace and salvation proceed? What but these things, and Christ himself, the Rock of Ages, on which rock we know that the Church is so firmly founded, that the gates of hell cannot prevail against her? Yes, these are the holy mountains, whereon the city of God is built, and in which its deep and sure foundations are laid. The sure decree, the divine perfections, the promise of him that cannot lie, the oath and covenant of God, and the incarnate Son himself, are the holy mountains, the perpetual hills, whose summits are gloriously crowned by the city of the Great King. There the city sits securely, beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth. Andrew Gray.
Ver. 1. Mountains. The situation of Jerusalem is in several respects singular amongst the cities of Palestine. Its elevation is remarkable, occasioned, not from its being on the summit of one of the numerous hills of Judaea, like most of the towns and villages, but because it is on the edge of one of the highest table lands of the country. Hebron, indeed, is higher still, by some hundred feet; and from the south, accordingly, the approach to Jerusalem is by a slight descent. But from every other side, the ascent is perpetual; and, to the traveller approaching Jerusalem from the west or east, it must always have presented the appearance, beyond any other capital of the then known worldwe may add, beyond any important city that has ever existed on the earthof a mountain city; breathing, as compared with the sultry plains of the Jordan or of the coast, a mountain air; enthroned, as compared with Jericho or Damascus, Gaza or Tyre, on a mountain fastness. In this respect it concentrated in itself the character of the whole country of which it was to be the capitalthe "mountain throne", the "mountain sanctuary", of God. "The `mount' of God is as the `mount' of Bashan; an high mount as the mount of Bashan. Why leap ye so, ye high `mountains'?this is the `mountain' which God desireth to dwell in" ...It was emphatically the lair of the lion of Judah, of "Ariel", the Lion of God. "In Judah is God known; his name is great in Israel. In Salem is his `leafy covert', and his `rocky den' in Zion...Thou art more glorious and excellent than the `mountains of the robbers'". And this wild and fastness like character of Jerusalem was concentrated yet again in the fortress, the "stronghold" of Zion. That point, the highest in the city, the height which most readily catches the eye from every quarter, is emphatically the "hill fort", the "rocky hold" of Jerusalem the refuge where first the Jebusite, and then the Lion of God, stood at bay against the hunters. Arthur Penrhyn Stanley.
Ver. 1-2. If we suppose the Psalm to have been composed in the days of Hezekiah, it will appear quite intelligible that the Psalmist should break out so suddenly at the beginning with praise of the security of Sion: he merely lends his mouth in this case to the full heart of the people; The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, is seen in its true light, for this preference for Sion was at that time verified its gates remained closed upon the enemies, while all the rest of the country was subject to their sway. E.W. Hengstenberg.
Psalms 87:2*
Ver 2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. The gates are put for the city itself. The love of God is greatest to his own elect nation, descended from his servant Jacob, yet the central seat of his worship is dearer still; no other supposable comparison could have so fully displayed the favour which Jehovah bore to Jerusalem, he loves Jacob best and Zion better than the best. At this hour the mystical teaching of these words is plain, God delights in the prayers and praises of Christian families and individuals, but he has a special eye to the assemblies of the faithful, and he has a special delight in their devotions in their church capacity. The great festivals, when the crowds surrounded the temple gates, were fair in the Lord's eyes, and even such is the general assembly and church of the first born, whose names are written in heaven. This should lead each separate believer to identify himself with the church of God; where the Lord reveals his love the most, there should each believer most delight to be found. Our own dwellings are very dear to us, but we must not prefer them to the assemblies of the saints; we must say of the church
"Here my best friends, my kindred dwell:
Here God, my Saviour reigns."
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
Psa_87:1-7
His foundation is in the holy mountains.
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A material portrait of the spiritual Church
I. It is glorious in its elevation (Psa_87:1). The spiritual Church is a city set upon a hill. Though elevated it is safe; its foundation is in the everlasting mountains. Upon this rock, etc.
II. It is specially regarded by God (Psa_87:2). The infinitely loving One must be interested in all the works of His hand; even the sparrow that falls not to the ground without notice. But for those Christian men who constitute the true spiritual Church He has a special regard.
III. It is illustrious in its history (Psa_87:3). Many glorious things had been said of Zion. It was said that they should call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and they should call all the nations to it; it was said they should come to see the city of Zion, and flow together to the goodness of the Lord. It was said by God (1Ki_9:3; 2Ch_7:16). But what far more glorious things have been said of the true Church. Read what victories she has won, not only in the time of the apostles, but in every subsequent age. It has been said of the true Church, that it is a royal priesthood.
IV. It is superior to all other communities (Psa_87:4). Compare commercial, scientific, political, and other religious communities with it, and in all that is morally great and glorious, the brightest of their fires pales into dimness.
V. It is the birth-scene of the good (Psa_87:5). In the true spiritual Church, souls are born again.
VI. It is divinely registered (Psa_87:6-7). Jehovah kept a register of all that were born in Jerusalem, and so He does of all who are spiritually born in the true Church. When He writeth up the people. Ah I the time will come when He will write up a register of all true men. No others, however lofty in rank and illustrious in genius, will find a place in that book. No one shall enter heaven who is not found written in The Lambs Book of Life. VII. IT is infinite in its resources. All my springs are in Thee. This is what the poet says, as the representative of all that were born in Zion; and this is what all the members of the true spiritual Church can also say and most deeply feel. All my fountains are in Thee, in Thee, that is, in Zion or in God. If in Zion, it is from God. (Homilist.)
The city of God
I. Its foundation (Psa_87:1). Christs charactor, teachings, miracles, and merit.
II. Its favour (Psa_87:2). God canopies the city with His wing of covenant promise, and belts it with the attributes of His Being.
III. Its fame: (Psa_87:3), (2Ch_7:16; Psa_132:13-17; Zec_1:14; Zec_2:4-12).
IV. Its fraternity (Psa_87:4-6). Here are the true aristocracy of souls, the real nobility of earth.
V. Its future (Psa_87:5).
VI. Its fountains (Psa_87:7). (J. O. Keen, D. D.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On v1 Psalms 87
Psalms 87
ONE clear note sounds in this remarkable psalm. Its single theme is the incorporation of ancestral foes and distant nations with the people of God. Aliens are to be enrolled as home-born citizens of Jerusalem. In modern words, the vision of a universal Church, a brotherhood of humanity, shines radiant before the seer. Other psalmists: and prophets have like insight into the future expansion of the nation, but this psalm stands alone in the emphasis which it places upon the idea of birth into the rights of citizenship. This singer has had granted to him a glimpse of two great truths-the universality of the Church, and the mode of entrance into it by reception of a new life. To what age of Israel he belonged is uncertain. The mention of Babylon as among the enemies who have become fellow citizens favours the supposition of a post-exilic date, which is also supported by resemblances to Isaiah 40-46.
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The structure is simple. The psalm is divided by Selah into two strophes, to which a closing verse is appended. The first strophe bursts abruptly into rapturous praise of Zion, the beloved of God. The second predicts the gathering of all nations into her citizenship, and the closing verse apparently paints the exuberant joy of the festal crowds, who shall then throng her streets.
The abrupt beginning of the first strophe offends some commentators, who have tried to smooth Psa_87:1 into propriety and tameness, by suggesting possible preliminary clauses, which they suppose to have dropped out. But there is no canon which forbids a singer, with the rush of inspiration, either poetic or other, on him, to plunge into the heart of his theme. Psa_87:1 may be construed, as in the A.V. and R.V. (text), as a complete sentence, but is then somewhat feeble. It is better to connect it with Psa_87:2, and to regard "His foundation upon the holy mountains" as parallel with "the gates of Zion," and as, like that phrase, dependent on the verb "loves." Hupfeld, indeed, proposes to transfer "Jehovah loves" from the beginning of Psa_87:2, where it now stands, to the end of Psa_87:1, supplying the verb mentally in the second clause. He thus gets a complete parallelism:-
His foundation upon the holy mountains Jehovah loves,
The gates of Zion before all the dwellings of Jacob.
But this is not necessary; for the verb may as well be supplied to the first as to the second clause. The harshness of saying "His foundation," without designating the person to whom the pronoun refers, which is extreme if Psa_87:1 is taken as a separate sentence, is diminished when it is regarded as connected with Psa_87:2, in which the mention of Jehovah leaves no doubt as to whose the "foundation" is. The psalmists fervent love for Jerusalem is something more than national pride. It is the apotheosis of that emotion, clarified and hallowed into religion. Zion is founded by God Himself. The mountains on which it stands are made holy by the Divine dwelling. On their heads shines a glory before which the light that lies on the rock crowned by the Parthenon or on the seven hills of Rome pales. Not only the Temple mountain is meant, but the city is the psalmists theme. The hills, on which it stands, are emblems of the firmness of its foundation in the Divine purpose, on which it reposes. It is beloved of God, and that, as the form of the word "loves" shows, with an abiding affection. The "glorious things" which are spoken of Zion may be either the immediately following Divine oracle, or, more probably, prophetic utterances such as many of those in Isaiah, which predict its future glory. The Divine utterance which follows expresses the substance of these. So far, the psalm is not unlike other outpourings in praise of Zion, such as Psalms 48. But, in the second strophe, to which the first is introductory, the singer strikes a note all his own.
There can be no doubt as to who is the speaker in Psa_87:4. The abrupt introduction of a Divine Oracle accords with a not infrequent usage in the Psalter, which adds much to the solemnity of the words. If we regard the "glorious things" mentioned in Psa_87:3 as being the utterances of earlier prophets, the psalmist has had his ears purged to hear Gods voice, by meditation on and sympathy with these. The faithful use of what God has said prepares for hearing further disclosures of His lips. The enumeration of nations in Psa_87:4 carries a great lesson. First comes the ancient enemy, Egypt, designated by the old name of contempt (Rahab, i.e. pride), but from which the contempt has faded; then follows Babylon, the more recent inflicter of many miseries, once so detested, but towards whom animosity has died down. These two, as the chief oppressors, between whom, like a piece of metal between hammer and anvil, Israels territory lay, are named first, with the astonishing declaration that God will proclaim them as among those who know Him. That knowledge, of course, is not merely intellectual, but the deeper knowledge of personal acquaintance or friendship-a knowledge of which love is an element, and which is vital and transforming. Philistia is the old neighbour and foe, which from the beginning had hung on the skirts of Israel, and been ever ready to utilise her disasters and add to them. Tyre is the type of godless luxury and inflated material prosperity, and, though often in friendly alliance with Israel, as being exposed to the same foes which harassed her, she was as far from knowing God as the other nations were. Cush, or Ethiopia, seems mentioned as a type of distant peoples, rather than because of its hostility to Israel. God points to these nations-some of them near, some remote, some powerful and some feeble, some hereditarily hostile and some more or less amicable with Israel-and gives forth the declaration concerning them, "This one was born there."
Gods voice ceases, and in Psa_87:5 the psalmist takes up the wonderful promise which he has just heard. He slightly shifts his point of view: for while the nations that were to be gathered into Zion were the foremost figures in the Divine utterance, the Zion into which they are gathered is foremost in the psalmists, in Psa_87:5. Its glory, when thus enriched by a multitude of new citizens, bulks in his eyes more largely than their blessedness. Another shade of difference between the two verses is that, in the former, the ingathering of the peoples is set forth as collective or national incorporation, and, in the latter, -as the expression "man after (or by) man" suggests, -individual accession is more clearly foretold. The establishment of Zion, which the psalmist prophesies, is the result of her reinforcement by these new citizens. The grand figure of Psa_87:6 pictures God as taking a census of the whole world; for it is "the peoples" whom He numbers. As He writes down each name, He says concerning it, "This one was born there." That list of citizens is "the Book of the Living." So "the end of all history is that Zion becomes the metropolis of all people" (Delitzsch).
Three great truths had dawned on this psalmist, though their full light was reserved for the Christian era. He had been led to apprehend that the Jewish Church would expand into a world wide community. If one thinks of the gulfs of hatred and incompatibility which parted the peoples in his day, his clear utterance of that great truth, the apprehension of which so far transcended his time, and the realisation of which so far transcends ours, will surely be seen to be due to a Divine breath. The broadest New Testament expression of Universalism does not surpass the psalmists confident certainty. "There is neither Greek nor Jew, barbarian, Scythian," says no more than he said. More remarkable still is his conception of the method by which the nations should be gathered in to Zion. They are to be "born there." Surely there shines before the speaker some glimmering ray of the truth that incorporation with the people of God is effected by the communication of a new life, a transformation of the natural, which will set men in new affinities, and make them all brethren, because all participant of the same wondrous birth. It would be anachronism to read into the psalm the clear Christian truth "Ye must be born again," but it would be as false a weakening of its words to refuse to see in them the germ of that truth. The third discovery which the psalmist has made, or rather the third revelation which he has received, is that of the individual accession of the members of the outlying nations. The Divine voice, in Psa_87:4, seems to speak of birth into citizenship as national; but the psalmist, in Psa_87:6, represents Jehovah as writing the names of individuals in the burgess roll, and of saying in regard to each, as He writes, "This one was born there." In like manner, in Psa_87:5, the form of expression is "Man after man," which brings out the same thought, with the addition that there is an unbroken series of new citizens. It is by accession of single souls that the population of Zion is increased. Gods register resolves the community into its component units. Men are born one by one, and one by one they enter the true kingdom. In the ancient world the community was more than the individual. But in Christ the individual acquires new worth, while the bands of social order are not thereby weakened, but made more stringent and sacred. The city, whose inhabitants have one by one been won by its King, and have been knit to Him in the sacred depths of personal being, is more closely "compact together" than the mechanical aggregations which call themselves civil societies. The unity of Christs kingdom does not destroy national characteristics any more than it interferes with individual idiosyncrasies. The more each constituent member is himself, the more will he be joined to others, and contribute his special mite to the general wealth and well-being.
Psa_87:7 is, on any interpretation, extremely obscure, because so abrupt and condensed. But probably the translation adopted above, though by no means free from difficulty or doubt, brings out the meaning which is most in accordance with the preceding. It may be supposed to flash vividly before the readers imagination the picture of a triumphal procession of rejoicing citizens, singers as well as dancers, who chant, as they advance, a joyous chorus in praise of the city, in which they have found all fountains of joy and satisfaction welling up for their refreshment and delight.
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v1 Superscription.—“A Psalm of Song for the sons of Korah.”…
INTRODUCTION
Superscription.—“A Psalm of Song for the sons of Korah.” It so far combines the properties of a religious Psalm and a patriotic song that either of the names may with propriety be applied to it. “For the sons of Korah,” see Introduction to Psalms 42. The Psalm was either composed by them, or given to them to sing in the Temple service.
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Occasion.—Hengstenberg argues very forcibly, if not quite conclusively, that the occasion of its composition was the joyful events under Hesekiah,—the destruction by the angel of the Lord of one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians of the army of Sennacherib, which was before Jerusalem, and the consequent deliverance of Jerusalem from the siege and capture threatened by Sennacherib (2 Kings 19; 2Ch_32:1-28).
THE GLORY OF THE CHURCH OF GOD
In this brief and joyous Psalm, the poet celebrates the praise of the Church of the Most High. In so doing, he shows us some of the things in which her glory consisted. The Church of God is—
I. Glorious in her sanctity. “His foundation is in the holy mountains.” The sanctity of Mount Zion consisted in its being chosen by God as the abode of His Church; and the “mountains” (plural) are said to be “holy” because Zion is part of a mountain range. Zion was holy as being the dwelling-place of God. The Church of God upon earth is glorious in so far as she is holy, and she is holy in so far as God dwells in her. “A glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy and without blemish.” God hath chosen the members of His Church “that they should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” “Holiness is inward glory. Glory is conspicuous holiness.” The Church is called to be separate from the world. Its members are called to be saints. Christ our great exemplar is perfectly holy. And His redemption is from sin to holiness. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” “Being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
II. Glorious in her security. “His foundation is in the holy mountains.… The Highest Himself shall establish her.” Jerusalem was “a mountain city, … enthroned as compared with Jericho or Damascus, Gaza or Tyre, on a mountain fastness. In this respect, it concentrated in itself the character of the whole country of which it was to be the capital,—the ‘mountain throne,’ the ‘mountain sanctuary’ of God. ‘They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever.’ ‘God is in the midst of her, therefore shall she not be removed.’ It was emphatically the lair of the lion of Judah, of ‘Ariel,’ the Lion of God. ‘In Judah is God known; His name is great in Israel. In Salem is His leafy covert, and His rocky den in Zion.’ … ‘Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of the robbers.’ And this wild and fastness-like character of Jerusalem was concentrated yet again in the fortress, the ‘stronghold’ of Zion. That point, the highest in the city, the height which most readily catches the eye from every quarter, is emphatically the ‘hill fort,’ the ‘rocky hold’ of Jerusalem—the refuge where first the Jebusite and then the Lion of God stood at bay against the hunters.”—Stanley. The foundations of the holy city were high and firm, and on nearly every side it was guarded by the ancient mountains. So the Church of God is secure. The city of Zion has gone. The Temple at Jerusalem is no more; but the Church of God, which the Highest has established, remains and prospers. The Church is founded upon the rock of Divine truth, and all the raging storms of earth and hell cannot shake her. The Church is guarded by God Himself, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Can infinite wisdom be baffled? Can Almightiness be overcome? Can the word of the Unchangeable fail? Then the Church of God is inviolably secure.
III. Glorious in being beloved by God. “The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” When Sennacherib and his host were encamped before the city, the Lord suffered them not to pass the gates though “all the rest of the country was subject to their sway,” and while the gates remained safe, the whole city was safe. God loved Jacob much, but He loved Zion more. He loves the worship of His people in their homes much, but He loves their worship in His sanctuary more. “A father is glad to see any one of his children, and makes him welcome when he visits him, but much more when they come together; the greatest feast is when they all meet at his house. The public praises of the Church are the emblem of heaven itself, where all the angels make but one concert.” This love of God for His Church should lead every believer—
1. To seek union with the Church. 2. To esteem the worship of the Church a solemn duty and precious privilege.
3. To unite in that worship with deep humility, profound reverence, and great delight. He who “loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob” is present in His Church, and is well pleased to accept the spiritual worship of sincere worshippers.
IV. Glorious in her exalted reputation. “Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.” Many glorious things were spoken of Mount Zion as to its situation. “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion,” &c. As being inhabited by God. “God is known in her palaces for a refuge.” “The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” As to the diffusion of religion from it (Isa_2:3). The city and temple passed away, but true religion has spread widely, and is still doing so. The Church of God has an exalted reputation—
1. As possessing the highest intelligence. The revealed mind and will of God on the most important of all questions, as contained in the Sacred Writings, is given into her keeping. “We have the mind of Christ.”
2. As animated by the Divinest spirit. The true Church of God is composed only of those who “have the spirit of Christ.” He came “not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give His life a ransom.” The spirit of self-surrendering love actuates every member of the Church of God.
3. As engaged in the most useful and glorious work. Its members, in their measure, go forth to seek and to save the lost. They labour to “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,” to abolish sin and suffering, to establish holiness and joy, and to make the moral wastes break forth into beauty and fragrance and fruitfulness.
V. Glorious in her increase. This increase is—
1. Variously composed. “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this was born there.” Some regard these as the words of God Himself, and translate, “I announce Rahab and Babylon as those that know Me,” &c. But with either rendering the idea is, that converts to the Church of God would be added from those nations. Hengstenberg expresses what we regard as the true idea: “At the time when these hopes were expressed, the number of the members of the Church of God had been very much melted down. The ten tribes had already been led away into captivity, and Judah remained alone in the land. In these circumstances, the longing after the fulfilment of the old promises of a posterity to Abraham as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea, must have been awakened with peculiar power, and must have seised with especial ardour upon everything, such as the above-mentioned events in the time of Hezekiah, which furnished a foundation on which such a hope could rest, and brought into view a compensation for the loss of Israel in the coming in of the heathen.” These foreign nations are here set forth as actually incorporated by a new birth into the Church of God. Even the worst enemies of the Jews, Egypt and Babylon, are regarded as citizens of Zion. God Himself acknowledges and registers them as such. The grand fulfilment of this splendid hope is found in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Many shall come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.” They are coming from all nations into His kingdom, and they shall continue to come until all the nations of the earth loyally submit to Him.
2. Distinguished in character. “This and that man was born in her.” The word translated man is אִישׁ=ἀνήρ=vir, a man of eminence. Men of distinguished ability and excellence shall be born in the Church. The most illustrious names in the annals of the world are those of men who have been members of the spiritual Zion. The Church of God has been, and still is, the abode of the men most renowned for knowledge and wisdom, for patience and courage, for tenderness and truth, for piety and usefulness, for independence and reverence.
3. Registered by God. “The Lord shall count when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there.” In the great census the Lord will clearly distinguish those who were born in Zion. The Divine registration is infallible. There are no mistakes in it. None but the true citizens of Zion will be found “written in the Lamb’s book of life.” And the name of no true citizen will be omitted.
VI. Glorious in the joy which her supplies produce. “As well the singers as the players on instruments: all my springs are in thee.” This verse is generally acknowledged to be a very difficult one. Various interpretations of it have been propounded. The idea seems to us to be that the citizens of Zion rejoice with music and song in the fountains of refreshment and blessing which are found in Zion. The streams which make glad the city of God are found there. How abundant and rich and free are the provisions which God has given to us in His Church! We have there the helpful communion of saints, the dispensation of the treasures of the truth of God by the Christian ministry, the exalting and sanctifying and blessed exercise of worship, and the participation in the Divine sacraments. In the work and worship of the Church of God “with joy we draw water out of the wells of salvation.”
CONCLUSION.—
1. Are we born into the Church of God? Are we citizens of the spiritual Zion? Are our names in the heavenly register? Registration in the records of the Church on earth will avail us nothing, unless our names “are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
2. If we are citizens of Zion, let us rejoice in the honour and privilege; for, at such, we are members of the most glorious society.
PUBLIC WORSHIP MORE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD THAN PRIVATE DEVOTION
(Psa_87:1-2.)
Man has the capacity to worship God, and as God reveals Himself man is under obligation to worship Him. To be acceptable to God, this worship must be the tribute of free and sincere affection. Wherever such an offering is made, whether in the secret chamber, at the family altar, or in the public sanctuary, it is “a spiritual sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” It also sends back into the heart of the worshipper that joy and peace which are unspeakable and full of glory. But public worship is more lovely in the sight of God than private worship.
I. Adduce some facts in the Divine administration indicative of God’s-higher estimate of public worship.
1. The facts of the Divine institution of public worship. The Sabbath is favourable for all religious worship. But, when God gave special ordinances to His ancient people, conspicuous amongst them all was this solemn institution of public worship. Three periods in the year were assigned as seasons of holy convocation, &c. In addition to these more conspicuous solemnities, there were the public services for the new moons, the year of rest, and the year of jubilee. Moreover, each day at the Temple was the morning and evening sacrifice offered, &c.… In the fact that God thus instituted public worship, we read His higher appreciation of it.
2. The fact that on special occasions public homage to God has been specially demanded, indicates His high pleasure in it. Many instances occur in the history of God’s dealings with His people when some special interposition was followed by as special a requisition for the public acknowledgment of His supremacy and authority as their Lord and Sovereign.… On occasions like these the elders were commanded to “proclaim a fast, to call a solemn assembly,” &c. So also when there had been a special deliverance from pestilence, or famine, or, &c.; or when there had been remarkable providential bounties, the whole nation was called to public thanksgiving, &c.
3. The fact that the ordinance of public worship is perpetuated under the Christian dispensation. The example of inspired apostles and primitive saints is left on record, in relation to their frequent “coming together in one place” and “with one accord;” and the solemn injunction given as applicable to all ages “not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together,” &c. These facts abundantly indicate God’s higher regard for it.
II. State some reasons why, in the nature of the case, God should prefer public to private worship.
1. Public worship is attended with greater sacrifices. That piety is best which will make the greatest sacrifices. That faith or love is the strongest which will bear the greatest strain. In pro portion as the sacrifice of public exceeds that of private worship is the service of the former more acceptable to God than the latter. It is a higher expression of your piety. It is a brighter test of your faith and love.
2. It exerts a more powerful and extensive moral influence. The influence of regular secret prayer upon the heart and life of a Christian is very great. So also is the influence of morning and evening family worship. But, in the public courts of the Lord, there are many influences flowing in upon the soul, and many emotions are there awakened, which can never spring out of the devotions of the closet or the family. The sanctuary is emphatically “the house of God and the gate of heaven.” The Christian’s graces kindle anew in Christian communion, as the coals glow with increasing light and heat when brought into contact.
3. It stands connected with the most signal displays of the power of Divine truth. Nowhere upon earth has this two-fold work of the Spirit, in comforting the saint and convincing the sinner, been so signally effected as in connection with the solemnities of public worship. It is in the house of God, when the quick and searching words of Divine truth have been applied with wise discrimination, and urged upon the conscience with faithful and affectionate importunity, that the sinner has been the most thoroughly arrested in his course, and made the most to feel himself alone with his God, and most vividly to anticipate the coming scenes of the judgment and the awful issues of the final sentence. Yes, and here also the voice of mercy has fallen upon the ear of penitential sorrow, with the most melting, soothing tenderness, and filled the contrite bosom with new joys and peace, unknown in any other place but heaven.
4. It is the grand instrumentality for perpetuating and extending the Church. The light of this day of Christian activity and benevolence would go out in darkness, ere our generation had passed, were the sanctuary to be deserted, and all manifestations of devotion to be shut up within the family and the closet. How direct is the tendency to all that is good in the ordinances of public worship! Keep up this agency in its purity and strength, and civil and social and religious blessings abound; but, as you abolish this agency, religion droops and virtue fails, the dark passions of the depraved heart rage unchecked till the judgments of heaven cut short the rebellion and impiety in hopeless desolation.
5. It is most like heaven. The worship of heaven is pure and perfect, and also united and public, devotion. The place on earth the most like to heaven, is the house of God on the Christian Sabbath, filled with sincere and humble worshippers. Nowhere shall you come so near heaven in all its glory as when you enter the sacred courts of the Lord, and mingle your prayers and praises with His children, while He bows His ear to hearken.
INFERENCES.—
1. All the arrangements for public worship should be amply and cheerfully provided.
2. A regular attendance upon public worship is demanded.
3. Yield to the influence and instructions here imparted.—Rev. L. P. Hickok, D.D. Abridged from “The Preachers’ Treasury.”
GLORIOUS THINGS SPOKEN OF THE CHURCH
(Psa_87:3.)
Here we have an expressive testimony in favour of the Church. Let us illustrate and improve the subject.
I. Let us illustrate it. What glorious things are spoken of her? She is commended—
1. As having Jehovah Himself for her founder. She became a city through His love, mercy, wisdom, and grace.
2. As having the ark of His presence dwelling in her. To the saints He vouchsafes most delightful displays of His excellency and brightness; most captivating views of His glory.
3. As having the solemnities of His worship performed there. In this city, God is worshipped in spirit and in truth; worshipped in the beauty of holiness.
4. As having His laws to govern her. The laws of God are holy, just, and good; and all are found in the written revelation He has given us.
5. As having constant supplies from Him. The community is a great one; but they are richly clothed, well fed, and kindly nourished.
6. As having His immediate and constant protection. She is surrounded on every side by Him; and, guarding her night and day, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.”
II. Let us improve it. We may learn—
1. In what light we ought to regard the Church. On account of the poverty of her members, and the fewness of their number, her glory is scarcely at all seen, but, notwithstanding her visible aspect, she is yet most beautiful, most glorious (Psa_50:2; Isa_60:18).
2. What reason for thankfulness we have if we are enrolled her citizens. In comparison of this all else should be esteemed by us as “dung and dross.”
3. How much we should exert ourselves to advance her interests. In reference to her, a glorious period is predicted (Isa_60:1-14); and this we should long for and help forward by all means within our power to adopt (Isa_62:1; Isa_62:6-7).—W. Sleigh.
REGENERATION
(Psa_87:6.)
From these words we may derive some instructive and useful remarks. Let us attend to the following—
I. It is highly important to every man to be regenerated. This will appear by considering the language of our Lord respecting it (Joh_3:5-7) the degeneracy of our nature (Eph_2:1); the nature and design of the Gospel dispensation; the relation of the present to another world; the capacity of the soul for enjoyment or suffering; and the unsuitableness of the character of an unregenerate person for future happiness (Luk_16:24-25).
II. The present is the only state in which this momentous change can be accomplished. Death makes no change of a moral kind in man;—his probation terminates on his leaving the present world (2Co_6:2; Rev_22:11), and all beyond is awarded according to character (Mat_16:27; Rev_22:12).
III. Regeneration is not a fancy or dream, but a reality. Its existence is evinced in the phraseology by which it is described (1Jn_5:1; 2Co_5:17); in the accounts given of the first Christians of their having actually undergone a spiritual birth (Rom_6:11-13; Eph_2:4-6); and in the present experience of all believers, who are themselves living witnesses to the truth of this doctrine (2Co_5:17; Col_3:1).
IV. The Holy Spirit is the agent in the regeneration of men. Our own state and character before the change takes place, the images used to describe it, and the positive declarations of Scripture if duly considered will convince us of this (Joh_1:12; Joh_3:4; Eph_2:8-10; 1Jn_3:9).
V. Though the Spirit can do this immediately, yet He generally does it in the use of the means. Those means are chiefly His written Word (Psa_119:93; Jas_1:18; the ministry of the Gospel (2Co_5:18-20; 1Th_1:5); and prayer (Isa_45:19; Eze_36:37).
VI. It is not every one that thinks he is regenerated that is really so. We are not spiritually born merely because we have been baptized, nor because we have correct views of religion, nor because we observe certain rites, nor yet because our lives are reformed. Regeneration is widely different from these things, and those who rest satisfied with these are mistaking the shadow for the substance.
VII. Zion, or the Church, is honoured as the birthplace of the saints. This is that to which our attention is called in the words of our text. It is because of this, amongst the many things spoken of her, that she stands so high in the estimation of God and man (Psa_132:13-14; Psa_137:5-6).
VIII. The work of regeneration is made apparent by its effects and evidences. Such are—deliverance from sin (1Jn_3:9; 1Jn_5:18); victory over the world (Rom_12:2; 1Jn_5:4-5); spirituality of mind (Joh_3:6; Rom_8:5; Rom_8:14); love to the saints (1Jn_4:7); submission to Christ (Joh_6:45; 1Jn_5:1); true obedience (1Jn_2:29); and hope (1Pe_1:3; 1Jn_3:2-3).
And now, am I myself the subject of this change? Have I already experienced it? Am I born of God? Am I decidedly a new creature? If my best interests be deemed worthy of my attention, these questions cannot be improper; nor can I too seriously apply them to myself.—W. Sleigh.
THE FOUNT OF BLESSING
(Psa_87:7.)
“All my springs are in Thee.”
Consider—
I. What is meant by the pronoun “Thee.” The Psalmist meant Zion. All his springs were in Zion. From the time of Constantine to the present the name Zion has been applied to the western hill on which the city of Jerusalem stands. But anciently, and down to the time of the destruction of the city by Titus, the name Zion was applied exclusively to the eastern hill on which the Temple stood. So it was in Zion as being the place on which the Temple stood that the Psalmist found his springs. In this light, the significance of the Psalm is at once manifest. To the devout Jew Zion was the abode of joy and blessing, the place of special Divine manifestation, and of special communion with God, who is represented as dwelling there (Psa_81:1; Psa_132:13-14).
In this Christian age, there is not one sacred place, for all places are sacred. Not one local mercy-seat, for Christ is the universal mercy-seat,—the meeting-place between God and man. The Jew found all his springs in the Temple, because by means of its ordinances he realised the presence and obtained the blessing of God. To us, “Christ is the true temple; all our springs are in Him, and from Him all our streams flow.” But Christ is Himself the gift of God to us. So God is the primal fount of blessing. And through Christ we rise to God, commune with God, &c. So all our springs are in GOD. We trace all our blessings to the heavenly Father. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,” &c.
II. The number and variety of the springs from which we are drawing. How numerous are they! The sun, the atmosphere, the earth, &c.; society, books, &c.; many spiritual ministries, the communion of saints, religious worship, the comfort, and guidance and sanctification of the Spirit, the example and sympathy and sacrifice of the Saviour, and the great love of our Father, which is the fountain from which all other blessings flow.
How various also are they! Varied to suit the many needs of our complex nature in all our various circumstances and moods. When the heart overruns with joy, the joyousness of the ever-blessed God is adapted to our need, and so we delight to approach Him. When the heart is crushed with grief, the tenderness and compassion of Him who pitieth as a father and comforteth as a mother are the balm that heals us.
The number and variety of our needs are evidence of the greatness of our nature. Only great natures have great requirements. God has made us for Himself, and nothing less than Himself can satisfy the cravings of our soul.
III. The blessedness of having all our springs in God. “All my springs are in Thee;” then, they are all-sufficient. They will meet every variety of need. For the perplexed student, conscious of ignorance, and crying for light, there is an inexhaustible spring of knowledge and guidance. For the worn and wearied sufferer, sighing for rest and comfort, there are springs of patience and solace, and even joy. For the Christian, conscious of weakness and imperfection, there are springs of power and inspiration and hope. For the penitent sinner, sorrowing over a dark past, mourning his sin, there are springs of pardon and peace and purity.
These springs are inexhaustible. They are as full and as fresh now as ever they were. Exhaust the solar fires, exhaust the ocean, &c. But you cannot exhaust the Infinite. Our springs are all in God, so they cannot fail; in God, then, they will meet all our thirst for evermore.
Our springs being in God, we may draw from them liberally and joyfully because God is infinitely generous. “He giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not.” His generosity is as great as His resources: both are infinite as Himself. He delights in imparting joy and blessing to man. I rejoice that all my springs are in God. Let us learn to practise more fully than hitherto these two things—
1. Adoring gratitude to God.
2. Joyous trust in God. Come what may, our resources cannot fail.
O God, the fount of blessing,
Our springs are all in Thee:
And though life’s cares are pressing,
Weakness our soul possessing,
Our prayers to Thee addressing,
And looking for Thy blessing,
We find our springs in Thee.
The Preacher’s Complete Homiletic
COMMENTARY
ON THE BOOK OF
Psalms
VOLUME II
Psalms 88-109
By the REV. WILLIAM JONES, D.D.
Author of Commentaries on Numbers and Ezra
Psalms 110-120
By the REV. J. W. BURN
Psalms 121-130
By the REV. GEORGE BARLOW
Author of the Commentaries on Kings, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon
Psalms 131-150
By the REV. WILLIAM JONES, D.D.
New York
FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY
LONDON AND TORONTO
1892
THE PREACHER’S
COMPLETE HOMILETIC
COMMENTARY
ON THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
WITH CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES, INDEXES, ETC., BY VARIOUS AUTHORS
HOMILETIC COMMENTARY
ON THE
PSALMS
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
F. W. Grant 1903 · Public Domain On v1 His testimony to His servants.
His testimony to His servants.
A psalm-song of the sons of Korah.
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The eighty-seventh psalm, short as it is, is by its very conciseness open to different interpretations, and is essentially a "deep saying" -a problem to be resolved by the spiritual mind alone. Almost any translation of it must have more or less of the character of interpretation: as, for instance, if we only translate in verses 4 and 6, "that [man]," man is not in the original, and most, perhaps, would rather understand for it, "nation." The result would be to make the psalm a celebration of the conversion of the world to God: each people named being assigned to Zion as its spiritual birth-place. Similarly the ascription of the seventh verse would be to Zion. Cheyne says: "Born there is of course to be explained by the familiar Jewish saying that a proselyte is like a new-born." In this way of considering it, there would be a certain connection with the previous psalm in its ninth verse: "all nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee." But there are two objections to this: the first, that the connection here seems rather incidental than essential; the second, that (according to the prophecies of the period referred to) there is no promise of Babylon and Philistia being converted to God; but the reverse, as we may see directly. We shall have, however, to take up the psalm; as is evident, with more than ordinary care.
The seven verses have an unusual division into 3. 3. 1: which seems however to be that of the very first seven in Scripture, -the creative days (Gen 1:1-31; Gen 2:1-3).
1. The first three verses plainly speak of Zion as the object of Jehovah’s love, Zion itself means "fixed:" and that is what stands out clearly as to the time contemplated. Like Jerusalem which is above, it is the "city which has foundations"; and these are in the holy mountains, images of the fixed, enduring holiness of God Himself. The foundations of the heavenly city are like the jeweled breast-plate of the high-priest, the Urim and Thummim, the "lights and perfections" of Him who is Perfect Light. The stability of the city depends upon there being in it the display in glory of all that God is. It exists because He exists. It abides because He abides. So, on its lower level, with the city below. It is the place of His rest; and rest He never can, except as the requirements of His nature are met and satisfied: there is nothing to produce a note of discord. On the holy mountains is His foundation.
There then His heart is free; and, being so, is poured forth in love: "Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob." His love is active; and these gates are the symbol of activity, -the place of ingress and egress, -the place where wisdom cries and justice is transacted, and which stands for all its busy life, -the city itself, as it were. Zion the royal city is in closest connection with those "dwellings of Jacob" which also -every one of them -Jehovah loves, and therefore loves most of all what is their supremest expression. The "dwellings of Jacob" imply, as we know, not human righteousness but divine grace; and Zion is royalty in grace, as the seventy-eighth psalm has pointed out to us (68-70). "Glorious things" may indeed well "be spoken" therefore of the "city of God."
2. The second section now speaks of a certain testimony which God is giving: "I will make mention of Rahab (pride) and Babel (confusion) to them that know Me: behold Philistia and Tyre, with Cush: this [man] was born there." Here comes, however, the question of interpretation before pointed out. Moll with others would translate, "as those that know Me," which it is allowed it may be rendered; and Delitzsch similarly remarks that the meaning is "for what purpose, or as what these kingdoms, hitherto hostile towards God and His people, shall be declared: Jehovah completes what He Himself has brought about, inasmuch as He publicly and solemnly declares them to be those who know Him, i.e. those who experimentally know Him as their God. Accordingly it is clear that ’This one was born there’ is also meant to refer to the conversion of the other three nations to whom the finger of God points. . . . This one, does not refer to the individuals, nor to the sum-total of these nations, but to nation after nation; by fixing the eye upon each one separately. And ’there’, refers to Zion . . . nations which are born in Zion. The poet does not combine with this the idea of being born again in the depth of its New Testament meaning: he means, however, that the nations will attain a right of citizenship in Zion as in their second mother-city, that they will therefore at any rate experience a spiritual change which, regarded from the New Testament point of view, is the new birth out of water and the Spirit."
This is happily not a question of the language used; and therefore all are capable of deciding it by plain Scripture. The first of these nations, Rahab, is Egypt; and of Egypt God has indeed prophesied blessing as well as of Assyria. These will be, in days to come, conterminous with Israel’s territory; and in that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom Jehovah of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance" (Isa 19:23-25).
Thus Scripture predicts with perfect plainness the blessing of Egypt; and had it been Assyria that we found connected with her, there could have been no question raised as to the suitableness of the interpretation given by the writers mentioned, as far as these two were concerned. But where we might have expected Assyria, we find Babel, and a very different future is assigned to Babel: "For I will rise up against them, saith Jehovah of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name and remnant and son and nephew, saith Jehovah. I will also make it a possession for the bittern and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction; said’ Jehovah of hosts" (Isa 14:22-23). The definiteness of the prediction in the one case shows that this in the psalm is not one.
Philistia is also threatened to be destroyed without inhabitant (Zep 2:5; Amo 1:8), her land to be possessed by Judah. This is another witness that the psalmist does not prophesy the conversion of these nations to God. This interpretation being purely conjectural and opposed to other scriptures, cannot be maintained; while to apply it merely to individuals out of these nations in the same way would be to deprive it of any particular importance, and from another side destroy it as a prophecy.
But if not a prophecy, then it can only be a contrast that is drawn here, between the countries named and their great men; and Zion and hers in the next verse; and this is perfectly natural, after dwelling upon the glory of Zion itself. The world boasts its heroes, and has ever boasted: the fame of the men of Egypt and Babylon is in our ears today -of kings, conquerors, builders, who speak to us in perished languages, from their uncovered monuments. Really, it would seem as if God were permitting all these nations to tell their own story of the men born in them, and that we may contrast it with the voices of the men of Zion, men of a feeble, despised, and scattered people, which yet strangely move us as no others do. On the one hand, the dead past speaks to us from its unsealed sepulchre, a memorial of doom which its own words justify and we cannot regret: there is in it no title to resurrection. On the other, there are voices that never die, -living and life-giving, -that proclaim not their own praise, but ascribe greatness unto God, and live eternally by their own hold of the Eternal. On the one hand, the voice is single -in each generation but a single voice; some king for whom his kingdom seems alone to have existed, and who tells us how many he has slaughtered, that he might have room to dwell in. On the other, the voice of many in chorus, the king of Israel with the gatherer of sycamore fruit, each having his part in a strain which, though it may be often sad, is never discordant, and which ends in triumphant harmony. Aye, "of Zion it may be said that this man and that was born in her, and the Highest Himself establisheth her." How else, indeed, can the mystery of this be explained? And it shall be fully seen in the day to which the psalm looks on.
But this is not all; nay, all would be left out, if this were to be taken as all. Jehovah’s voice has not been heard directly yet; and plainly we shall never get a perfect knowledge of things, except He guide us. He too is the One who "writeth down the peoples," -takes account of all with no mere local or national partiality, but in absolute righteousness and truth. Strange then it may seem that now, when we have His reckoning of things, even Zion’s count of her great men is gone. In all history there seems now but One Name. One Person takes the place of every other. "Jehovah counteth, when He writeth down the peoples, that THIS Man was born there."
3. An enigma, is it? Couched in abrupt, enigmatical language, indeed: but as a secret which expects that we should fathom. And suddenly there bursts out as from a multitude, in songs and with instruments to swell the melody, another voice as enigmatical, and yet with the same appeal to our intelligence, -as if there were no possibility of going wrong in the interpretation of it; a voice which is one and individual, and yet the voice of all; a response echoing Jehovah’s claim for the One Man of His approval: "All my springs are in Thee."
The Christian heart can translate this, and the Christian only. It is not that the Lord whom they have served does not appreciate the service of His people. It is not that their names can be forgotten with Him. But it is the Old Testament version of what has come out in full reality in the gospel of our salvation; -the truth that, for salvation, the cross of Christ had to be our all: death and judgment had to do their awful work upon our Substitute and Saviour; and thus God pronounced upon man; thus He had to put him away from His sight, that He might show us mercy. Those who believe are now therefore by the cross "dead with Christ" and "buried with Christ," so as to be accepted in Another raised from the dead, His work accomplished.
How plain, therefore, that there is but One Man; whom God sees, the perfect Servant of His perfect will; and that Zion’s great men can only come in before God thus. How well may they sing, and how surely they know to Whom they sing, "All my springs are in Thee"! The glory of Zion; the dwelling-place of God in Israel, is found in Him.
Thus the two psalms here come into their place with one another. The servants’ path in the one finds its recognition from God in the other; and the One perfect Servant is distinguished from, while seen to be the sufficiency and boast, of every other. Thus the work of salvation is seen once more to be for holiness.
F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 This Ps. expands the thought of Psa_86:9. Zion is…
This Ps. expands the thought of Psa_86:9. Zion is the chosen dwelling of God (Psa_87:1-3), the spiritual birthplace of the other nations (Psa_87:4-6), and the source of joy to them all (Psa_87:7). In Psa_86:4 God is the speaker. The mention of Babylon as no longer an enemy of Israel, but as receiving spiritual blessing from Zion, shows that the Ps. was written after the bitter experience of the captivity was over.
1. His foundation] i.e. God's. The holy mountains] the hills on which Jerusalem stood.
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2. Zion] Jerusalem. The dwellings of Jacob] other cities of Judah.
3. Selah] see on Psa_3:4;
4. Rahab] Egypt: see Isa_30:7; Isa_51:9; Psa_89:10.
To them that know me] RV 'as among them that know me.' This man] RV 'this one,' this nation. So in Psa_87:6.
5. This and that man] RV 'this one and that one.' This and that nation shall be converted to God.
6. People] RV 'peoples.' God is represented as making a register of the nations which have been born into His kingdom.
7a. RV 'They that sing as well as they that dance shall say.' The nations which have been born again will rejoice in their new connexion with Zion, and will address her accordingly. 7b. Springs] RV 'fountains.'
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Arno C. Gaebelein 1922 · Public Domain On v1 Psalm 87
Psalm 87
Zion and Its Coming Glories
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Another Korah Psalm. Zion is the object of Jehovah’s love where He will manifest His glory. Glorious things are spoken of the city of God. This we learn from many visions of the prophets. When these prophecies are fulfilled and the glory has come, then Rahab (pride--Egypt) and Babylon shall know, as well as Philistia, Tyre and Cush. Nations will be born again and turn to the Lord and share the blessings of the kingdom. Then the singers will sing “All my springs are in Thee,” in Him who dwelleth in Zion. The Christian believer gives now this testimony and knows its blessed truth, that Christ is all and in Him we have all our resources. But what will it be when nations with Zion shall know this!
Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v1 The Church of God the Spiritual Birthplace of the…
The Church of God the Spiritual Birthplace of the Nations.
A psalm or song for the sons of Korah, a triumphal hymn in the strain of these inspired singers, celebrating the glory of the Church as the means of spiritual blessings to all nations.
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v. 1. His foundation, that which Jehovah, the Lord of the Church, has laid, is in the holy mountains, the location of the Temple being given in the wide sense, for Jerusalem was situated on several hills, one of which became the hill of the Sanctuary.
v. 2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion, of the Temple situated on that mountain, as the emblem of His Church on earth, more than all the dwellings of Jacob, as the place of His habitation and of the revelation of His glory in the midst of His people. Note that the gates of Zion are mentioned to indicate the accessibility of the city to all men; for the means of grace administered by the Church are intended to bring salvation to all men.
v. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah. The things which are said about the Church of God of all times redound to His glory, because they relate to Zion’s increasing glory; and the miracles of God performed for the salvation of men are spoken in the city as well, that all its inhabitants may be confirmed in their faith.
v. 4. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know Me, literally, "I will call to remembrance Rahab," that is, Egypt, "and Babylon as those who know Me," publishing the fact that people even from these heathen nations came to the knowledge of the truth. Behold Philistia, the heathen country southwest of Canaan, and Tyre, that is, Phenicia, with Ethiopia, the country south of Egypt; this man was born there, that is, people from all these nations, from belligerent Philistia, from commercial Phenicia, from powerful Ethiopia, would be gained for Jehovah; always there would be some out of the heathen nations who would accept Jehovah as their Savior.
v. 5. And of Zion it shall be said, of the Church itself the statement would be made, This and that man was born in her, added to her by his spiritual birth; and the Highest Himself shall establish her, God Himself having laid the foundations of the Church, it shall not be moved, Psalms 46.
v. 6. The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, as one believer after the other is added to His register, that this man was born there, for the Lord knoweth them that are His, and He enters each individual name in the book of life, 2Ti 2:19. Selah.
v. 7. As well the singers, those praising the Lord with hymns of thanksgiving, as the players on instruments, those who leap and spring for joy in honor of the Lord, as David did when he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Mount Zion, shall be there; for the joy of the Church Militant will be continued in the exultation of the Church Triumphant. All my springs are in thee; for Jerusalem, or Zion, the Church of Christ, is the place where the true water of life springs up and flows for all men, inviting them all to partake of its riches to the salvation of their souls. These are some of the glorious facts which establish and maintain faith in the hearts of men, for which the believers give thanks to the Lord with exultant hearts, here in time and hereafter in eternity.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 4, 5, 7 General Information:
General Information:
Parallelism is common in Hebrew poetry. (See: Poetry and Parallelism)
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A psalm of the sons of Korah; a song
"This is a psalm that the sons of Korah wrote"
gates of Zion
Here "gates of Zion" represents the entire city of Jerusalem. AT: "city of Jerusalem" (See: Synecdoche)
all the tents of Jacob
The people lived in tents while they wandered in the desert. Here the writer uses "tents of Jacob" to represent where the Israelites live now. AT: "any of the other dwelling places of the Israelites" (See: Metonymy)
Glorious things are said of you, city of God
The writer speaks to the city of Jerusalem as if it were listening to him. This can be stated in active form. AT: "You people in Jerusalem, other people say wonderful things about your city" (See: Apostrophe and Active or Passive)
Selah
This may be a musical term that tells people how to sing or play their instruments here. Some translations write the Hebrew word, and some translations do not include it. See how you translated this in Psalms 3:2. (See: Copy or Borrow Words)
translationWords
psalm
son
Korah
Yahweh
holy
Yahweh
love
gate
Zion
tent
Jacob
glory
God
selah
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 4, 5 Ps 87 This psalm envisions Jerusalem as the city…
Ps 87 This psalm envisions Jerusalem as the city of God where all the nations are citizens.
87:1 Jerusalem was Israel’s capital and the location of the Temple, God’s earthly palace (see Ps 84).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.