Psalm 87 – Foundation
Any builder knows the importance of having strong foundations. Psalm 87 – foundation, states that God’s “foundation is in the holy mountains.” What does that mean for us?
Psalm 87
Jerusalem is held holy by three religions: Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Why does it merit such a special place? Because it is God’s city, founded by God and loved by God.
Psalm 87’s superscript states simply: “Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.” It is a simple song/psalm of praise of God’s city, found on the holy mountain.
“He has founded his city on the holy mountain.
The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.” (1-2)
Other translations say: “His foundation is in the holy mountains.” (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ERV, and others)
The Wonder of God’s Holy City
Wonderful things are said about the city, even beyond the Hebrew nations, to Babylon and Philistia.
“Glorious things are said of you, city of God: “I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me—Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush—and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’” (3-4)
Great indeed, to be born in Zion. God even says so.
“Indeed, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High himself will establish her.”
The Lord will write in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion.” (5-6)
As one commentator states: “If a city is regarded as great or important, people enjoy identifying with that city. When we appreciate the high regard God has for Zion, the city of Jerusalem, we see the value in being regarded as her citizen, the city established by the Most High Himself.” Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 87
Streams of Living Water
Psalm 78 concludes with a simple song of praise: “As they make music they will sing, “All my fountains are in you.” (7)
The New King James Version is: “Both the singers and the players on instruments say, “All my springs are in you.”
Everyone joins in. With great exuberance singers and musicians join in praising God. Some commentators say that verse 7 indicates all people joining together in God’s kingdom where all their fountains, all their sources of life and satisfaction, reside in God. What we receive from God flows back to God in prayer and praise.
“If all my springs are in God, then let all my streams flow to God. All the rivers run into the sea, because they all came from the sea. It was from the sea that the sun drew up the clouds which fed the thousand rills which fall into the rivers, and so the rivers run back to the sea. Let us do the same. What we have had from God must go to God.” (Spurgeon) Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 87
A Firm Foundation
In my forties I was privileged to lead my church through a construction project: a completely new church including offices and hall. I rode my bike by the cornfield site for our new church and watched week after week while trucks moved piles of dirt. It took weeks before any drop of cement was poured or planks erected.
This was a far cry from the barn raisings I had heard about where barns are raised in one day, of or church building on movies such as Lilies of the Field where bricks are laid painstakingly one at a time, day after day. No weeks of prepping the ground. The land was cleared and the building created.
Why didn’t the builders start building, I wondered. What was the hold-up? What I learned was that just as it is important to prepare the soil for planting, it is important to prepare the earth before building. Dirt needed to be leveled and packed down to avoid it shifting underneath the structure and creating cracks later. Hence, the need for a firm foundation, built on rock rather than on sand (Matthew 7:24-27). Without this firm foundation the building could crack and fall apart.
We know that a house divided cannot stand (Mt. 12:25) and so God set his foundation in the holy mountain where it would remain strong and withstand the winds of time. It truly is a blessing to have a firm foundation, regardless of where you are born. While the earthly city of Jerusalem may be torn apart by partisan divides, the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, remains strong and welcoming to all people. Whether Christian, Jew, or Muslim, we unite under the one God of Father Abraham. That is part of our foundation.
Psalm 87 – Foundation
Mountains throughout Scriptures are places where one encounters God. Some may build their life on a foundation of selfishness, looking out only for themselves. For others, family may be the foundation upon which they build their lives. But someone who builds their life on God’s holy mountain will have this firm foundation to sustain and support them through all of the trials of life.
Psalm 87 – foundation reminds us of the importance of having a foundation of faith that the wind and the rain cannot erode. We need to find our holy mountain whereon we encounter our God, the source of living waters.
What are the firm foundations in your life? Where is your holly mountain?
(For another take on this psalm, see Psalm 87: Mother Zion – Why Can’t We Just Get Along? – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and receive a free copy of Still Dancing, the second book in my Dancing through Life Series. click here to sign up
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