Psalms 87:5

5 But of Tziyon it will be said, "This one and that was born in it, for the Most High himself establishes it."

Psalms 87:5 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 87:5

And of Zion it shall be said
The same with the city of God, the church before commended:

this and that man was born in her;
this and that great man, in opposition to a mean person, in the preceding verse: "or a man and man" {d}; men of all sorts, and of different nations, Jews and Gentiles, and great numbers of them:

and the Highest himself shall establish her;
the church of God, though founded by him, and laid on a sure foundation, on the Rock of ages, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail, yet is sometimes fluctuating and unsettled;

it is tossed with tempests,
the persecutions of men, the errors and heresies of false teachers, and the contentions and divisions of its own members; and is not always in one place, but is removed from one place to another, and is obliged to flee into the wilderness; but in the latter day it will be established and settled; it will be a tabernacle that shall not be taken down nor removed; but shall be established for ever, ( Psalms 89:37 ) , and this is the work of God, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, whatever instruments he may make use of, as ministers of the word, and kings of the earth; as it is his work, and his only, to establish particular believers, ( 2 Corinthians 1:21 ) , so it is his to establish the church in general: or it may be rendered, "he shall establish her on high" F5, which will be the case when she is established upon the top of the mountains, and exalted above the hills, ( Isaiah 2:2 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F4 (vyaw vya) "vir et vir", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Vatablus, Gejerus, Michaelis.
F5 So the Targum, and Ainsworth.

Psalms 87:5 In-Context

3 Glorious things are said about you, city of God. (Selah)
4 I count Rahav and Bavel among those who know me; Of P'leshet, Tzor and Ethiopia [they will say], "This one was born there."
5 But of Tziyon it will be said, "This one and that was born in it, for the Most High himself establishes it."
6 When he registers the peoples, ADONAI will record, "This one was born there."(Selah)
7 Singers and dancers alike say, "For me, you are the source of everything."
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.