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.

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 87:
VerseHebrew
1לִבְנֵי־קֹ֖רַח מִזְמ֣וֹר שִׁ֑יר יְ֜סֽוּדָת֗וֹ בְּהַרְרֵי־קֹֽדֶשׁ
2אֹהֵ֣ב יְ֖הֹוָה שַֽׁעֲרֵ֣י צִיּ֑וֹן מִ֜כֹּ֗ל מִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹת יַֽעֲקֹֽב
3נִכְבָּדוֹת מְדֻבָּ֣ר בָּ֑ךְ עִ֖יר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֣ים סֶֽלָה
4רַ֥הַב וּבָבֶ֗ל לְֽיֹ֫דְעָ֥י הִנֵּ֚ה פְלֶ֣שֶׁת וְצֹ֣ר עִם־כּ֑וּשׁ זֶ֜֗ה יֻלַּד־שָֽׁם
5וּֽלְצִיּ֨וֹן יֵֽאָמַ֗ר אִ֣ישׁ וְ֖אִישׁ יֻלַּד־בָּ֑הּ וְה֖וּא יְכֽוֹנְנֶ֣הָ עֶלְיֽוֹן
6יְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִ֖סְפֹּר בִּכְת֣וֹב עַמִּ֑ים זֶ֖ה יֻלַּד־שָׁ֣ם סֶֽלָה
7וְשָׁרִ֥ים כְּחֹֽלְלִ֑ים כָּֽל־מַעְיָנַ֣י בָּֽךְ

King James Version

The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the King James Bible.
  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 or as a 'reference to Jews who come from different countries in the dispersion'.
"Rahab" in verse 4 may be 'the primeval monster quelled by YHWH in ancient story', here to represent "Egypt", whereas the 'springs' may symbolize "divine blessing", placing Zion as 'the source of the streams of Paradise'.

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