Psalms 87

Psalms 87THEME: Zion, the city of GodThis psalm is “A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.” Actually, I think it is a psalm by the sons of Korah. It is a song that deals with Zion, the city of God, and speaks of the glorious future of Jerusalem. The nations will come to Jerusalem to worship. I hear people today sing, “We’re marching to Zion, that wonderful city of God.” I am afraid that song is meaningless, because Zion is a geographical spot on this earth. When I was with a tour in Israel, several of us were in a car together riding toward Zion, which is the highest elevation in the city of Jerusalem. None of us could sing very well, but we sang as we rode along, “We’re marching to Zion, that wonderful city of God.” Actually we were riding, not marching, but at least we were headed for Zion.

Psalms 87:1

That is where the government of the world will one day be. Isa_2:2 tells us, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” Zec_2:10-11 says, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.” Remember that we are still in the section that is known as the Leviticus section, and the tabernacle and temple are the very heart of it.

Psalms 87:2

This same view was expressed before in Psalms 48, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King” (Psa_48:1-2).

Psalms 87:4

“Rahab” is not the harlot of Jericho, but Egypt (see Isa_51:9; Psa_89:10). It represents the southern world power, and “Babylon” represents the northern. The name Rahab means “tumult” and Babylon means “confusion"the tumult and confusion of these nations will end when Christ is reigning in Zion. It is very interesting to see that Zion will be the birthplace of many nations. When the Lord Jesus Christ is there, the world will come up to Jerusalem, and many nations will be converted. Notice it mentions “Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia.” This is all tremendously interesting when we remember that as the gospel left the land of Israel and started down the highways of the world, the first convert was the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8).

He was born again out there in the desert. But the psalmist here has reference to, I believe, the entire nation of Ethiopia, which will be converted in that future time.

Psalms 87:5

The King of Kings will make Zion the capital of the earth.

Psalms 87:6

There will be many who will turn to the Lord in that day, recognizing that they were deceived by the Antichrist. What a glorious time this will be!