PSALM 87

Psalm 87

There are two main parts:

(a) vv. 1-3 – Zion vs. dwelling places of Jacob

(b) vv. 4-7 – Zion vs. other nations 

A. Zion vs. dwelling places of Jacob

Holy mountain – mountain is a higher ground, remember that the first great judgment was the Flood. After the Flood Noah builds the altar – mini-mountain – lifting up or elevating the place of worship above the ground as a remembrance of the Flood.  

  City founded by the Living one – interesting to notice that the first city was founded by wicked Cain, build on a spilled blood of his brother Abel. It should not be surprising for us – the great technological progress needs a sacrifice. So, should Christians leave cities? No, for our city of found by Jesus, who didn’t sacrifice “a brother” but spilled His own blood for our citizenship.  

    The gates are protected by Himself – if the gates are secure, the city/citizens are safe. He is protecting us by His Word and Sacraments – marking the perimeter of the city.  

      City of God is a place where the glorious things are spoken – it is easy to understand the claims of the pagan deities: many sacrifices, lots of smoke (and mirrors). Yet, Jesus has a different glory – dying for the ungodly, see Romans 5:6-8.    

 

B. Zion vs. other nations

vv. 4: 5 geography pointers

Rahab – Egypt (see Isaiah 30:7) – West

Babylon – East

Philistia and Tyre – seashores

Cush – Ethiopia – deep south

Dr. Martin Luther commented on this: it shall be a city as wide as the earth is, and in it shall be born Ethiopians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines, residents of Tyre, and peoples of other lands and tongues. (RPL, p. 206)

v. 4b-6: Zion IS a birthplace for the God of LIFE is the founder of the city. Two things here: first, Zion is a place where the first commandment can be fulfilled – Genesis 1:28a: be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth. Second, It is paralleled with the idea that other places are places of spiritual death, as a place of absence/rejection of God.  

 

Conclusion:

v. 7: the words of singers and dancers (!).

Two words about dancers – it might look like a discotheque reading. It reality, we have a dance to perform every Sunday (at least), it’s called Divine Service or Liturgy. When a congregation is standing up in a proper time, when it sits down, when clergy, elders, and laity move in the appointed way – it is a liturgical and biblical dance.  

All my springs are in YOU: Springs are the sources of life in the desert climate: no water – no life, very simple.

Jesus identifies Himself with the springs of the living water – John 7:37-39.

He is the founder of the City of God – Revelation 21:10-14.       

 

Prayer: Thanks be to YOU, our heavenly Father, because You have called us into the Church of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and have begotten us again unto a lively hope through the Gospel. Keep us steadfast in the faith, that we may remain living stones in this Your spiritual temple to our last day, and cause us to rejoice over Your salvation. Amen.