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Illustration for Psalm 87: Zion, City of God

Psalm 87

Zion, City of God

Praise

This short psalm celebrates Jerusalem as the city God loves most. It says that one day people from many nations will be counted as citizens of Zion — God's special city. It's a picture of how God welcomes people from everywhere into His family.

  1. 1His foundation is on the holy mountain; the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
  2. 2Glorious things are said of you, O city of God. Selah
  3. 3"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.'"
  4. 4Indeed, it will be said of each one born in Zion, "This man was born there." The Most High Himself will establish Zion.
  5. 5The LORD will write in the register of the peoples: "This one was born in Zion." Selah
  6. 6As they make music they will sing, "All my fountains are in you."

What it means

This little psalm says people from all sorts of different nations will be listed as citizens of God's city. God's family was never meant to be one kind of person from one kind of place. Whoever you are and wherever you are from, there is room for you.

A little prayer

God, thank You that Your family is for people from everywhere. Thank You that there is room for me, and room for people who look and sound nothing like me. Amen.

Memory verse

“The LORD will write in the register of the peoples: "This one was born in Zion." Selah”

Psalm 87:5 (BSB)

In six verses it turns a national city into everybody's home town.

Talk about it

Questions with no single right answer — for a family table or a Sunday-school circle.

  1. The psalm says people from many different nations will be counted as born in God's city. What does belonging mean here?
  2. It names countries that were enemies. Why include them?
  3. What makes somewhere 'yours' — being born there, or being welcomed?
  4. Who could you make more welcome?

Try this

Born here

Find out where each person in the room, or in your family tree, was born. Mark them on a map. Read verses 4 to 6 looking at the pins.

You will need: A map and some pins or stickers.

Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB)