Psalm 87

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 87

The foregoing psalm was very plain and easy, but in this are things dark and hard to be understood. It is an encomium of Zion, as a type and figure of the gospel-church, to which what is here spoken is very applicable. Zion, for the temple's sake, is here preferred, I. Before the rest of the land of Canaan, as being crowned with special tokens of God's favour, Ps. 87:1-3. II. Before any other place or country whatsoever, as being replenished with more eminent men and with a greater plenty of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 87:1-3

Some make the first words of the psalm to be part of the title; it is a psalm or song whose subject is the holy mountains?the temple built in Zion upon Mount Moriah. This is the foundation of the argument, or beginning of the psalm. Or we may suppose the psalmist had now the tabernacle or temple in view and was contemplating the glories of it, and at length he breaks out into this expression, which has reference, though not to what he had written before, yet to what he had thought of; every... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 87:4-7

Zion is here compared with other places, and preferred before them; the church of Christ is more glorious and excellent than the nations of the earth. 1. It is owned that other places have their glories (Ps. 87:4): ?I will make mention of Rahab? (that is, Egypt) ?and Babylon, to those that know me and are about me, and with whom I discourse about public affairs; behold Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia? (or rather Arabia), ?we will observe that this man was born there; here and there one... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 87

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 87 A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah . Whether this psalm was composed by David, in a view of the temple to be built by his son Solomon; or whether by one that returned from the Babylonish captivity, who wrote it for the comfort of those that wept at the laying of the foundation of the second temple; it seems evident that the subject matter of it is the church of God in Gospel times, and especially in the latter day glory: the title in the Syriac version is, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 87:2

The Lord loveth the gates of Zion ,.... Which the Targum interprets of the schools, as preferable to the synagogues: the Lord loves Zion herself; that is, the church, and therefore has chosen it for his habitation, took up his rest and residence in it, has founded it, and set Christ as King over it, and by whom he has redeemed it; and he loves her gates, the public ordinances; he loves them that come to Zion's gates, and wait and worship there, and who enter in and become members thereof;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 87:3

Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Which is to be understood not of the city of Jerusalem literally, which was a magnificent city, compact together, full of inhabitants, and spacious houses, the metropolis of Judea, and seat of the kings of Judah; and what was most glorious of all that could be said of it, it was the city of God; and so Jarchi interprets it, the glory spoken of it is, that it is the city of God; here the temple was built, and many glorious things were in it;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 87:4

I will make mention of Rahab ,.... Not of Rahab the harlot, as Jerom and others of the ancients F25 Aug. Euthymius, Theodoret, & alii, in Amama, Antibarbar. Bibl. I. 3. p. 820. interpret it; for the letters of both words are not the same in Hebrew; though mention is made of her in the Gospel, and Gospel times, in the genealogy of Christ, and by two of the apostles, Matthew 1:5 , but of Egypt; and so the Targum interprets it, which is so called, as it is in Psalm 89:10 either... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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" F4 איש ואיש "vir et vir", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Vatablus, Gejerus, Michaelis. ; 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 87:6

The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people , Not in the Lamb's book of life; for that was written from eternity, Revelation 13:8 but in the writing of the house of Israel, among the living in Jerusalem, and with his righteous ones; which is done at effectual calling, and when admitted members of Gospel churches, whereby they openly appear to be the children of God, and are taken into the list and catalogue of saints; see Ezekiel 13:9 or in the last day, when the Lord will take... read more

Group of Brands