Psalm 87

Psalm 87 is the 87th psalm from the Book of Psalms. It was written by the sons of Korach. It describes Jerusalem as the center of the world where God placed the Torah.[1] In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in its Latin translation, the Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 86.

This article uses Hebrew (Masoretic) psalm numbering. Psalm 87 in Greek (Septuagint or Vulgate) numbering corresponds to Psalm 88 in Hebrew numbering.
Psalm 87
"His Foundation is in the Holy Mountains"
The German inscription on the doorpost of a building in Jerusalem (1948) "The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob" from Psalm 87:2.
TextKorahites
LanguageHebrew (original)

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 87:[2]

Verse Hebrew
1 לִבְנֵי־קֹ֖רַח מִזְמ֣וֹר שִׁ֑יר יְ֜סֽוּדָת֗וֹ בְּהַרְרֵי־קֹֽדֶשׁ
2 אֹהֵ֣ב יְ֖הֹוָה שַֽׁעֲרֵ֣י צִיּ֑וֹן מִ֜כֹּ֗ל מִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹת יַֽעֲקֹֽב
3 נִכְבָּדוֹת מְדֻבָּ֣ר בָּ֑ךְ עִ֖יר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֣ים סֶֽלָה
4 אַזְכִּ֚יר | רַ֥הַב וּבָבֶ֗ל לְֽיֹ֫דְעָ֥י הִנֵּ֚ה פְלֶ֣שֶׁת וְצֹ֣ר עִם־כּ֑וּשׁ זֶ֜֗ה יֻלַּד־שָֽׁם
5 וּֽלְצִיּ֨וֹן יֵֽאָמַ֗ר אִ֣ישׁ וְ֖אִישׁ יֻלַּד־בָּ֑הּ וְה֖וּא יְכֽוֹנְנֶ֣הָ עֶלְיֽוֹן
6 יְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִ֖סְפֹּר בִּכְת֣וֹב עַמִּ֑ים זֶ֖ה יֻלַּד־שָׁ֣ם סֶֽלָה
7 וְשָׁרִ֥ים כְּחֹֽלְלִ֑ים כָּֽל־מַעְיָנַ֣י בָּֽךְ

King James Version

The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the King James Bible.

A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.
  1. His foundation is in the holy mountains.
  2. The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
  3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
  4. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.
  5. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.
  6. The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.
  7. As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

Commentary

The psalm is classified as one of the "Songs of Zion", looking to the future Jerusalem as the 'center of universal worship' and listing some of the surrounding nations (from which Jewish proselytes have come to the festivals) or as a 'reference to Jews who come from different countries in the dispersion'.[3]

"Rahab" in verse 4 may refer to 'the primeval monster quelled by YHWH in ancient story' (cf. Psalm 89:10), here to represent "Egypt", whereas the 'springs' (verse 7) may symbolize "divine blessing", placing Zion as 'the source of the streams of Paradise'.[4]

Christianity

Verse 3 inspired John Newton to write the hymn "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken" in 1779, later sung with music from Haydn's Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser (1797).

Musical settings

Marc-Antoine Charpentier set around 1680, one "Fundamenta ejus in montibus sanctis", H.187 for 3 voices and continuo.

References
  1. The Artscroll Tehillim, p. 186.
  2. "Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 87". Chabad.org. 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  3. Rodd, C. S. (2007). "18. Psalms". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 390–391. ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  4. Rodd 2007, p. 390.
  • Psalm 87 in Hebrew and English - Mechon-mamre
  • Psalm 87 King James Bible - Wikisource
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