Psalms 87:1

1 On 1the holy mount 2stands the city he founded;

Psalms 87:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 87:1

His foundation is in the holy mountains.
] The Jewish writers connect these words with the title of the psalm, and make the sense to be this; "the foundation" or argument "of it", the psalm, "is concerning the holy mountains" of Zion and Jerusalem; so Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimchi; and the Targum joins them together thus,

``by the hands of the sons of Korah is said a song, which is founded by the mouth of the fathers that were of old:''

but the words are a part of the song or psalm, which begins in an abrupt manner, just as ( Song of Solomon 1:2 ) and may be rendered either "its foundation", or "his foundation", and refer either to the church, or to the Lord, and the sense is the same either way; for the church's foundation is also the Lord's foundation, a foundation of his laying; see ( Isaiah 14:32 ) ( 28:16 ) and is laid "in the holy mountains"; alluding to the mountains of Zion and Moriah, where the temple stood, a type of the church; or to the mountains about Jerusalem, by which also the church is frequently signified; and by those, in a mystical and spiritual sense, may be meant the purposes and decrees of God, which are as mountains of brass, ( Zechariah 6:1 ) , they are like the ancient mountains for the antiquity of them, and are high, and not to be reached and searched into, and are firm, solid, and immoveable; and are also holy, particularly the decree of election, that source of all true holiness, which has sanctification for its end and means; and is the foundation of the church, which supports and secures it, and stands sure, ( 2 Timothy 2:19 ) , also the covenant of grace, which is sure and immoveable, and in which are provisions for holiness, internal and external; and is the foundation and security of the church, and all believers; but especially Jesus Christ, the Rock of ages, is meant, the Holy One of Israel, the sure foundation laid in Zion: some interpret these holy mountains of the holy apostles, who were in an high and eminent station in the church, and were doctrinally foundations, as they ministerially laid Christ, as the only foundation; see ( Ephesians 2:20 ) ( Revelation 21:14 ) , it may be rendered, "among the holy mountains" F23; and so may regard, as Cocceius explains it, the several kingdoms and provinces of the world in which the Gospel shall be preached; and the church shall be established and settled in the latter day even upon the tops of mountains, which shall become holy to the Lord, ( Isaiah 2:2 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (vdq yrrhb) "inter montes sanctitatis", Junius & Tremellius; so Ainsworth.

Psalms 87:1 In-Context

1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
2 the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. Selah
4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon; behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush-- "This one was born there," they say.
5 And of Zion it shall be said, "This one and that one were born in her"; for the Most High himself will establish her.

Cross References 2

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.