Psalm 87 is the 87th

psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

from the

Book of Psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived f ...

. It was written by the sons of Korach. It describes

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

as the center of the world or the "mother of nations", where God placed the

Torah The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the s ...

. In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek

Septuagint The Greek Old Testament, or Septuagint (, ; from the la, septuaginta, lit=seventy; often abbreviated ''70''; in Roman numerals, LXX), is the earliest extant Greek translation of books from the Hebrew Bible. It includes several books beyond th ...

version of the bible, and in its Latin translation, the

Vulgate The Vulgate (; also called (Bible in common tongue), ) is a late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. The Vulgate is largely the work of Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels u ...

, this psalm is ''Psalm 86''.

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 87:

King James Version

The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the

King James Bible The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an Bible translations into English, English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and publis ...

. :A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. # His foundation is in the holy mountains. # The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. # Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.

Selah (; hbo, סֶלָה, selā) is a word used 74 times in the Hebrew Bible. Its etymology and precise meaning are unknown, though various interpretations are given. It is probably either a liturgical-musical mark or an instruction on the reading ...

. # I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. # And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. # The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah. # 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'. "

Rahab Rahab (; Arabic: راحاب, a vast space of a land) was, according to the Book of Joshua, a woman who lived in Jericho in the Promised Land and assisted the Israelites in capturing the city by hiding two men who had been sent to scout the city ...

" in verse 4 may refer to 'the primeval monster quelled by YHWH in ancient story' (cf.

Psalm 89 Psalm 89 is the 89th psalm in the biblical Book of Psalms, part of the Hebrew Bible, described as a maschil Charles H. SpurgeonPsalm 89 in "Treasury of David" or "contemplation". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septua ...

:10), here to represent "Egypt", whereas the 'springs' (verse 7) may symbolize "divine blessing", placing Zion as 'the source of the streams of Paradise'.

Christianity

Verse 3 inspired

John Newton John Newton (; – 21 December 1807) was an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist. He had previously been a captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade. He served as a sailor in the Royal Navy (after forc ...

to write the hymn "

Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken", also called "Zion, or the City of God", is an 18th-century English hymn written by John Newton, who also wrote the hymn "Amazing Grace". Shape note composer Alexander Johnson set it to his tune "Jefferson" in ...

" in 1779, later sung with music from

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...

Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser "" (; ) was a personal anthem to Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and later of the Austrian Empire, with lyrics by Lorenz Leopold Haschka (1749–1827) and music by Joseph Haydn. It is sometimes called t ...

(1797).

Musical settings

Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...

set around 1680, one "''Fundamenta ejus in montibus sanctis"'', H.187 for 3 voices and continuo.

Arthur Hutchings Arthur James Bramwell Hutchings (14 July 1906 – 13 November 1989) was an English musicologist, composer, and professor of music successively at the University of Durham and the University of Exeter. He wrote extensively on topics as varied as ...

set the text of Psalm 87 in his ''Her Foundations are on the Holy Hills'', which is also the motto of

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...

References

External links

* in Hebrew and English - Mechon-mamre * King James Bible - Wikisource {{Psalms 087 Phoenicians in the Hebrew Bible