Subject and Division. - 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.

Hints to Preachers

Psalm 87:2, Psalm 87:3. -

I. The foundation of Zion.

1. It is but one: "foundation."

2. It is the Lord's: "his,"

3. It is in conformity with holiness: "holy mountains."

4. It consists of eternal purposes.

5. It is built up on immutable principles.

6. It is situated in a glorious position.

II. The favour enjoyed by Zion.

1. God "loves the dwellings of Jacob." He led, fed, guarded, lighted, visited them.

2. He loves Zion "better"; and gives all those blessings in a richer form.

3. There are more to love.

4. Their occupations are more spiritual.

5. Their songs and worship are more enthusiastic.

6. Their testimony is more powerful.

7. Their knowledge of truth is more clear.

8. Their fellowship is on a scale more heavenly. Let us be in the Church, and love her.

III. The fame of Zion. "Glorious things are spoken,"

1. of her in history;

2. in her by ministry;

3. for her by Jesus;

4. about her in prophecy. Here is a fruitful theme.

Psalm 87:3. - The idea of the text presents the Church as "the city of God"; let us touch upon some of the "glorious things" that are spoken of it.

I. There are glorious things with respect to the erection of the city.

1. There is the plan of its erection. There was never a plan so faultless, so complete, so wonderful for its beauty and grandeur. The gates, the walls, the buildings, the streets, the monuments, the fountains, the gardens, unite to proclaim it a masterpiece of skill. The Architect was he who built the skies.

2. There is the site where the city is erected. See Psalm 87:1.

3. There is the date of the city's erection. A halo and a glory attach, in a case like this, to great antiquity. Now it is long since the city was built. It was standing in the days of Paul. "Ye are come unto the city of the living God." Hebrews 12:22. David was well acquainted with it. Psalm 46:4. It was standing before the flood. Noah, Enoch, Abel, dwelt in it. It is almost as old as the creation.

II. There are glorious things to tell of the defences of the city. It has been besieged ever since it was a city at all, and it is not taken to this hour, "We have a strong city," etc.

III. There are glorious things in connexion with the stores and supplies on which the city depends;

1. their excellence;

2. their abundance;

3. their source.

IV. There are glorious things respecting the King of the city; his name, person, character, etc.

V. There are glorious things in connexion with the citizens of the city. - Andrew Gray, 1805-1861.

Psalm 87:3. -

I. Observe, that a city is not like a flower, a tree, or a plant - some-thing that grows out of the earth, and is nourished from the earth, and dependent wholly on its juices. It is an artificial thing, constructed by wisdom and raised by power, as it was designed by genius and forethought.

II. A city upon earth is surrounded generally by walls.

III. Jerusalem (the must celebrated of cities, from which this figure is obviously drawn) was built upon the brow of a hill, an extremely conspicuous and beautiful object.

IV. In a city there are various buildings, and structures of various shapes, materials and value: illustrate by the different denominations, etc.

V. A city has municipal laws.

VI. It has also trade, traffic, etc.

VII. The figure, as applied to the Church of Christ, involves the idea of safety or security, honour, etc.

VIII. There is also the idea of fewness. - John Gumming, 1843.

Psalm 87:3. - The things "spoken" of the city of God.

I. It shall be the permanent and the peculiar residence of God.

II. It shall be the scene of delightful privileges and blessings.

III. It shall be invested with absolute and inviolable security.

IV. It shall possess renown and empire throughout the whole world.

V. Its institutions and existence shall be perfected in the celestial state. - James Parsons, 1839.

Psalm 87:4 (last clause). -

I. Behold what the "man" was: a native of "Philistia," a heathen, and an enemy to God.

II. Behold what happened to him: he "was born there," i.e., new born in Zion.

III. Behold what he became - he became by his new birth a freeman and burgess of Zion, etc.

Psalm 87:4, Psalm 87:5. -

I. What is not the most honourable birth-place - not Rahab nor Egypt, nor Babylon, nor any earthly palace or kingdom.

II. What is? "Of Zion," etc.

1. Because it is a nobler birth; a being born again of the Spirit of God.

2. Because it is a nobler place; the residence of the Highest, and established for ever. Because it brings nobler rank and privileges. - G. R.

Psalm 87:4-7. -

I. Zion shall produce many good and great men.

II. Zion's interest shall be established by divine power.

III. Zion's sons shall be registered with honour.

IV. Zion's songs shall be sung with joy and triumph. - Matthew Henry.

Psalm 87:4-7. -

I. The excellence of the church is here stated.

II. Her enlargement is here promised. - J. Scholefield, 1825.

Psalm 87:5. - The renowned men of the church of God.

I. Great warriors, who have fought with temptation.

II. Great poets, whose lives were Psalms.

III. Great heroes, who have lived and died for Jesus.

IV. Great kings who have ruled themselves, etc. Apostles, martyrs, confessors, reformers, men renowned for virtues such as only grace can produce.

Psalm 87:5. - "This and that man." The individuality of true religion.

I. Each soul sins for itself.

II. Rejects or accepts the Saviour for itself.

III. Must be judged, and

IV. Saved or lost individually. The consequent need of personal piety; the temptations to neglect it; and the habits which promote it.

Psalm 87:5 (last clause). - The Established Church of God - her Head, her protection her power, etc.

Psalm 87:6. -

I. "The Lord" will make the Census.

II. He will "count" whether a man be rightly there or no.

III. Every man truly born in Zion shall be admitted on the register.

Psalm 87:6. -

I. The time referred to. "When he writeth up," etc.; when all the true Israel is saved.

II. The account to be taken: "When he writeth up," etc., i.e., revises and re-enters the names in the Lamb's Book of Life. Compares the called with the chosen.

III. The test to be applied.

1. Their being in Zion, or having the means of grace.

2. Their being born there.

IV. The completion of their number: "The Lord shall count." An exact number of stones in a perfect building and of members in a perfect body. So in Christ's Church. All make one bride.

V. The notice taken of each one: "This man was born there." Men fell as a whole; they are saved individually. - G. R.

Psalm 87:7. -

I. In God our joy.

II. From God our supplies.

III. To God our praise.

Psalm 87:7 (last clause). - All the springs within me, all the springs which flow for me, are in my God. There are "upper and nether springs," springs "shut up," "valley" springs (Psalm 104:10), rock springs, etc.; but all these flow from the Lord.

Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings

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 right 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.

Psalm 87:1

"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 Jehovah - the 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 co-operation 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 strong 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.

Psalm 87:1

"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 tablelands 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 world - we may add, beyond any important city that has ever existed on the earth - of 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 capital - the "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.

Psalm 87:1

"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 for ever

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.

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