Psalm 87
This psalm is a song that the sons of Korah wrote.
Zion is God's holy city
87:1This psalm is about Zion, God's special home. Zion was the name of the hill in Jerusalem where King Solomon built the temple. The writer looks ahead to a time when people from many nations will worship God. Then they will belong to God's city, as God's people.
1 The Lord built his city on the holy mountain.
2 The Lord loves Zion city,
more than any other place where Jacob's descendants live.
87:2‘Jacob's descendants’ means the Israelite people.
3 People say great things about you!
You are God's own city!
4 I will speak about the nations that serve God.
Rahab and Babylon are now among them,
also Philistia, Tyre and Ethiopia.
87:4‘Rahab’ is another name for Egypt. Babylon was a city on the Euphrates River which was very rich and powerful and rich. The king of Babylon ruled many other countries. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon who attacked Jerusalem. Ethiopia was a country in north-east Africa that was a long way from Israel.
They say about themselves,
‘This man was born in Zion.’
5 They say this about Zion:
‘Each one of these people was born there.’
It is the Most High God who makes that city strong.
6 The Lord will write a list of all their names.
For the people from different nations,
he will say, ‘This person was born in Zion.’
7 The singers and the musicians will say,
‘All our blessings come from you, Zion.’
