Psalm 87 - Glorious Things Spoken of the City of God

A brief psalm declaring Zion as the birthplace of nations under God.

Psalms 87: Glorious Things of the City of God

At just seven verses, Psalm 87 is one of the shortest entries in the Psalms overview, yet it makes a bold claim: foreign nations like Rahab, Babylon, and Ethiopia are numbered among those born in Zion. It follows the prayer for mercy in Psalms 86 with a vision of a city open to outsiders.


<Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. A Song.> This house is resting on the holy mountain.

The Lord has more love for the doors of Zion than for all the tents of Jacob.

Noble things are said of you, O town of God. (Selah.)

Rahab and Babylon will be named among those who have knowledge of me; see, Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man had his birth there.

And of Zion it will be said, This or that man had his birth there; and the Most High will make her strong.

The Lord will keep in mind, when he is writing the records of the people, that this man had his birth there. (Selah.)

The players on instruments will be there, and the dancers will say, All my springs are in you.

The closing line, 'all my springs are in thee,' recalls the imagery of God as the source of life found in <a href="/bible/bbe/psalms/chapter-36/9">Psalms 36:9</a>. Its picture of singers and instrument players celebrating in Zion sets up the far darker tone of <a href="/bible/bbe/psalms/chapter-88">Psalms 88</a> that follows.