Psalm 87 – Citizens of Zion. Psalm 87 Commentary. Among the gods there is none like You: David’s understanding of who God is in this psalm – listening, holy, worthy of trust, merciful, good, ready to forgive – stands in contrast to the contemporary understanding of many of the pagan gods, such as Ba… 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. This triumphal song was probably occasioned by the same event as the forty-sixth [see on [618]Ps 46:1, title]. 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. --Arthur Penrhyn Stanley. Psalm 85 – Praying for Revival and Restoration. 3 People say wonderful things about you, O city of God. 1. Psalms 90:1-17 Compare the notes at Psalm 48:1-2. PSALM 87. These sacred hills God had selected as the place of his solemn worship - of his own abode. 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? Here His foundation is equivalent to that which He hath founded, and the gates are put by metonymy for the city itself. Selah. Why leap ye so, ye high `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? The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all of the dwellings of Jacob ( Psalm 87:1-2). Title. Psalms 86:1-17 David Prays For Protection From Enemies. There the city sits securely, beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth. 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 Isaiah 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, Zechariah 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, 2 Timothy 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 Ephesians 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, Isaiah 2:2. Title. All rights reserved. It is divided into three parts: … Continue reading "Commentary on Psalm 85:8-13" A psalm of the descendants of Korah. By David’s time it seems they served in the musical aspect of the temple worship (2 Chronicles 20:19). And in particular he’s meditating on man’s place in relation to nature. Greek ~ a language. 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. He laid the foundation in ancient times of what He would bring fulfilling it through His Son, Jesus. Korah signifies the state in which trees are during winter, when stript of their verdure and fruit. What but the promise of life that was given in Christ to the elect before the world began? Psalm 8 Commentary: Psalm 8 is a reflective or meditative psalm. His foundation: whose foundation? Verse 1. All the wickedness of the world is owing to man's wilfulness. An interpretation of Psalm 85:8-13 needs first to find a context in the whole of Psalm 85. His election made the mountains holy, they were by his determination ordained and set apart for the Lord's use. 2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. God is not there because the mountains are holy, but they are holy because God is there. Salem Media Group. 1 Yahweh, you have been favorable to … 4. And this wild and fastness like character of Jerusalem was concentrated yet again in the fortress, the "stronghold" of Zion. -- A Psalm or Song for the Sons of Korah. 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. 3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Here are Philistia and Tyre, along with Ethiopia. 5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. That the writer had them in his mind, there can be no doubt, whatever other applications we may make of his words. 87:1-3 Christ himself is the Foundation of the church, which God has laid. It may be significant that those three are Commentary on Psalm 18:29-50 (Read Psalm 18:29-50) When we praise for one mercy, we must observe the many more, with which we have been compassed all our days. A sacred hymn and a national lyric. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. An interpretation of Psalm 85:8-13 needs first to find a context in the whole of Psalm 85.1 The psalm is a prayer in the midst of crisis for the ancient faith community. "The `mount' of God is as the `mount' of Bashan; an high mount as the mount of Bashan. Verse 1. What but the everlasting covenant, "ordered in all things and sure" from which grace and salvation proceed? Psalm 87 - A song. A sacred hymn and a national lyric. by Hank Workman. O city of God, what glorious things are said of you! -- 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. Sudden passion is evil, but bursts of holy joy are most precious. Ps 87:1-7. People are not religious, because they will not be so. 6 The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Psalm 87:1-7. Selah. On the one hand, reading and … Continue reading "Commentary on Psalm 95:1-7a" Like the other psalms "for the sons of Korah," it most probably belongs to the days of Hezekiah. A psalm. 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. (w) "inter montes sanctitatis", Junius & Tremellius; so Ainsworth. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, even Jesus Christ. He has lost his pristine beauty and fruitfulness. Psalm 117, with two verses, is the only shorter psalm. Psalm 95 appears in a grouping of psalms that focus on the reign of God (Psalms 93, 95-99). Psalm 87:1 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Psalm 87:1, NIV: "Of the Sons of Korah. Title “Sons of Korah” (see note on Psalm 84: Title). I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon] Rahab is Egypt, and so called for its … But the Korahites are best known for the frequent appearance of their name in the superscriptions to two groups of Psalms (Psalms 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 84, 85, 87, 88). He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob - That is, he preferred Zion for his habitation, to be the place of his temple and sanctuary, before any other place in the promised land. The Lord’s Love for Zion (87:1-3). 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, Psalm 74:2 76:2 Isaiah 8:18. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Psalm 91 CONTEXT: The Septuagint (LXX: Greek version of the Old Testament) attributes this psalm to David, but that remains in question. heaven ~ the home of God. The privilege of being born in it, Psalm 87:5, Psalm 87:6. Let us not be ashamed of the church of Christ in its meanest condition, nor of those that belong to it, since such glorious things are spoken of it. Psalms 89:38-52 The Apparent Suspension of The Covenant. 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. We may have enough from God, if we pray for it in faith. A Song. His—that is, God's. i. continued...THE ARGUMENT This Psalm was doubtless composed after the building of the temple; and, as learned men think, and it seems probable, when the people were newly returned out of Babylon, and laboured under many discouragements about the return of most of their brethren, and the difficulties which they met with in the rebuilding of their temple and city. ... Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. 1 Written by the Korahites; a psalm, a song. 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. the Lord’s; Proverbs 7:8, to her house, i.e. Judged by this standard, our own land is far in arrears. "His foundation is in the holy mountains." Is in the holy mountains - The mountains of Jerusalem. (a) God chose that place among the hills to establish Jerusalem and his temple. One popular theory about their origins is that they were recited in the Jerusalem temple during a New Year festival that … Continue reading "Commentary on Psalm 95:1-7a" A thousand shall fall, &c.] This deadly disease lays heaps upon heaps (as we have had lamentable experience), and scarce leaveth living enough to bury the dead, as in the days of Decius the emperor. "In Judah is God known; his name is great in Israel. Psalms 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee.. Ver. God promised that even among the rivals there would be those who know Me– those who have true relationship with Him. He has founded his city on the holy mountain. They prayed for joy, joy that can come from God’s presence in the midst of the community. 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