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Psalm 87

Psalm 87 celebrates God’s love for Zion and his act of counting people from foreign nations among her own.

Zion stands at the center of this song attributed to the sons of Korah. The psalm celebrates YHWH’s love for the city and his founding of it in the holy mountains. In verse 4, God appears to speak of foreign peoples who acknowledge him. The song then describes YHWH recording people as born in Zion, a city the Most High establishes. It closes with singers and dancers naming Zion as the source of their springs.

praise and worshiplonelinesssermon or Bible study notes
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1A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song. His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3Glorious things are spoken about you, city of God. Selah.
4I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia: “This one was born there.”
5Yes, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one was born in her;” the Most High himself will establish her.
6The LORD will count, when he writes up the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah.
7Those who sing as well as those who dance say, “All my springs are in you.”
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Key verses
Psalm 87:1God’s founding of Zion establishes the song’s starting point: the city owes its place to him.
Psalm 87:2YHWH’s special love for Zion explains the city’s prominence before the song turns toward foreign peoples.
Psalm 87:3The address to God’s city prepares for the remarkable picture of foreign peoples being counted among her children.
Where this chapter reaches

Isaiah shares the picture of nations coming to Zion and finding a place among God’s people. Revelation shares the images of God’s city, nations within its light, and life-giving water, extending the psalm’s themes of belonging and springs into its vision of the holy city.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What surprises you about the nations named among those who acknowledge God in this song?

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How does God’s record of people born in Zion shape your understanding of belonging to his people?

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Questions people ask about Psalm 87

What is Zion in Psalm 87?

Zion is Jerusalem, celebrated here as God’s city and the place he has established. The psalm highlights YHWH’s love for her gates and her place among the peoples. Its language reaches beyond a local population as God counts people from foreign nations as belonging to her.

Who is Rahab in Psalm 87?

Rahab here is a poetic name for Egypt. The context places Rahab alongside Babylon and other foreign peoples, so the name refers to a nation rather than a woman. Its inclusion is striking: even a nation associated with opposition to God’s people appears among those who acknowledge him.

What does being born in Zion mean in Psalm 87?

The repeated birth language portrays people as full members of Zion, with YHWH himself keeping the record. The wording of verses 4–6 is compressed, and some details are debated. The central picture is clear: people from foreign nations receive the standing of those whose home is God’s city.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).