This Psalm is fittingly placed here, for it expands the thought of Psalm 86:9 in the style and the spirit of prophecy. It is terse, abrupt, enigmatic, like a prophetic oracle; in its breadth of view and fulness of Messianic hope it vies with the grandest of prophetic utterances. It depicts Zion as the metropolis of the universal kingdom of God, into which all nations are adopted as citizens. The franchise of Zion is conferred upon them as though it were theirs by right of birth. It stands alone in the peculiar form in which the idea is embodied, though many prophecies lead up to it. See especially Isaiah 2:2-4 (= Micah 4:1-3); Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 18:7; Isaiah 19:19 ff; Isaiah 44:5; Isaiah 60:1 ff.; Zephaniah 2:11; Zephaniah 3:9-10; Zechariah 2:11; Zechariah 8:20-23. Like Isaiah (Isaiah 19:24 f.) the poet sees the most inveterate foes of the kingdom of God acknowledging His sovereignty; he sees nations the most bitterly antagonistic to Israel, the most diametrically opposed in character to the true spirit of Israel, the most remote from the influence of Israel, brought into harmony with Israel, and adopted into its commonwealth.

Thus the Psalm is a prediction of the incorporation of all nations into the Church of Christ, and the establishment of the new and universal nationality of the kingdom of God. It is a prophecy in O.T. language of “the Jerusalem that is above, which is our mother” (Galatians 4:26). It looks forward to the time when the Gentiles shall no longer be “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel” but “fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:12; Ephesians 2:19). We must not indeed read the full Christian idea of the new birth into the words “This one was born there,” for primarily they refer to nations not to individuals; yet we may see in them a foreshadowing of the truth that a new birth is requisite for entrance into the kingdom of God (John 3:3 ff.).

The Psalm has been assigned, with considerable plausibility, to the age of Hezekiah. (1) The same loving enthusiasm for Zion, and the same hopes of the conversion of the nations, meet us in the Psalms and prophecies of that period. See especially Psalms 46, 47, 48, 76; Isaiah 19:24 f. (2) ‘Rahab’ is Isaiah’s name for Egypt (Psalm 30:7, R.V.), which was a leading power at the time; Babylon was brought into contact with Judah (Isaiah 39); the Philistines had been subjugated by Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:8); the Ethiopians were coming into notice (Isaiah 18; Isaiah 37:9); and after the retreat of Sennacherib many nations sent congratulatory embassies to Hezekiah with gifts for the Temple (2 Chronicles 32:23).

On the other hand the parallels of thought and language with the later part of the book of Isaiah (especially Isaiah 44:5; Isaiah 60:1 ff.) and Zechariah, are not less striking; and the mention of Babylon rather than Assyria points to a date after that power had taken the place of Assyria as the mistress of Western Asia. Egypt, the ancient enemy, and Babylon, the recent oppressor, are named as the typical foes of God’s people. It seems best then to suppose that the Psalm was written (like Psalms 85) after the Return from Babylon, to cheer the drooping spirits of those returned exiles who were in danger of being utterly disheartened by the disappointing contrast between the weakness and insignificance of their little community, and the grandeur and magnificence of the prophetic promises of the future glory and greatness of Zion. In poetic language and with prophetic authority it reasserts the fundamental truths of Jehovah’s choice of Zion, and of Zion’s destiny in relation to the nations. Never had such encouragement been more needed; never was such a faith more clearly the fruit of divine inspiration.

The Psalm consists of two stanzas with a concluding verse.

i. Zion is the city of God, founded and beloved by Him, the heir of glorious promises (Psalm 87:1-3).

ii. God proclaims that it is His will to reconcile her ancient enemies to Himself and incorporate them as her citizens. Zion shall be the mother-city of the nations of the world (Psalm 87:4-6).

iii. A picture of the rejoicing of those who find in her the source of every joy (Psalm 87:7).

1. The Psalmist’s heart is full of his theme. He states it abruptly in a verse of a single line (cp. Psalm 18:1):

’Tis his foundation upon the holy mountains:

which stands by itself as a kind of title to his poem or inscription on his picture. Zion is a city founded by God Himself (Isaiah 14:32). Its site is consecrated (Psalm 2:6; Psalm 43:3; Psalm 48:1, and often) by the ownership and presence of Jehovah.

The plural mountains (cp. Psalm 133:3) may be merely poetical, or it may refer to the different hills upon which Jerusalem stood, or generally to the mountainous region in which it was situated. “Jerusalem was on the ridge, the broadest and most strongly marked ridge of the backbone of the complicated hills, which extend through the whole country from the Desert to the plain of Esdraelon.” Like Rome and Constantinople, it stood upon a “multiplicity of eminences,” and “the peculiarity imparted to its general aspect and to its history by these various heights is incontestable.” Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, pp. 176, 177. Comp. note on Psalm 48:2.

The brevity and abruptness of the verse have led some commentators to conjecture that the first line has been lost, and others to combine Psalm 87:1-2 in construction (cp. R.V. marg.) thus:

His foundation upon the holy mountains doth Jehovah love,

Yea, the gates of Zion &c.

The conjecture is unnecessary, and though the combination of Psalm 87:1-2 would give a good parallelism, the Ancient Versions support the division of the Massoretic Text, and the abrupt beginning is in accordance with the terse oracular style of the Psalm.

P.B.V. ‘her foundation’ is untenable. The gender of the pronoun in the Heb. shews that it cannot refer to the city.

1–3. The glory of Zion the city of God.

2. the gates of Zion] A poetical expression for the city, specially appropriate with reference to the thought of the crowd of pilgrims (Psalm 122:2) entering it from all nations (Isaiah 60:11; Revelation 22:14).

more than all the dwellings of Jacob] Better than any of the other cities of Israel, though they too are goodly (Numbers 24:5, where the same word is rendered ‘tabernacles’).

3. Glorious things are spoken of thee] This need not be limited to the utterance of Psalm 87:4 ff., but may include the great prophetic promises generally, such as Isaiah 2:2 ff; Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 19:20 ff.; and, if the Psalm is post-exilic, Psalm 60:1 ff. O city of God] Of His choice, His love, His care. Cp. Psalm 46:4; Psalm 48:1-2; Psalm 48:8.

4. God Himself is the speaker (cp. Psalm 60:6 ff.). I will make mention of, solemnly and publicly acknowledge, Rahab and Babylon, as among them that know me, that own Me as their God and worship Me. Cp. Psalm 36:10; Psalm 9:10; Psalm 5:11; Isaiah 19:21. Rahab[48] is a nickname for Egypt (Isaiah 30:7; Isaiah 51:9; Psalm 89:10). It may have been the name of some mythological sea-monster (Job 26:12; Job 9:13, R.V.) chosen as an emblem of Egypt (cp. Isaiah 51:9), or it may simply mean ‘Arrogance.’ Its use here is significant: the ferocious monster is tamed; the blustering antagonist is reconciled.

[48] It may be noted that this name is differently spelt in Hebrew from Rahab in Joshua 22:1 ff., and is derived from a different root. This is Răhăb, that Râchâb.

Behold &c.] God points as it were to each of these nations in succession and says, This one was born there, namely in Zion. By this divine edict each of them is invested with the full rights and privileges of citizenship as though they had been born in Zion.

It is God’s purpose to reconcile all nations to Himself. Egypt, the world-power of the South, the ancient and hereditary enemy of God’s people; Babylon, the world-power of the North, the cruel oppressor of later times; warlike Philistia, by which Israel had so often been harassed; proud Tyre, the haughty representative of commerce and wealth; distant Ethiopia, famous for its stalwart warriors (Isaiah 18:7);—all will be brought to recognise Jehovah as their God; all shall be incorporated into the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12). The thought is the same as that of Isaiah 19:24-25, though it is expressed in different language.

4–6. The nations of the world shall be enrolled as Zion’s children; and Zion shall be glorified by this accession of unnumbered fresh citizens.

5. The Psalmist speaks, echoing the divine decree from Zion’s point of view, dwelling upon the honour which will accrue to Zion by this accession of citizens.

Yea, of Zion it shall be said,

Each and every one was born in her;

And the Most High himself shall establish her.

Not merely certain specified nations but all the nations shall call Zion their mother-city. One after another comes to be reckoned among her children[49]. Grammatically it is possible to understand each and every one of individuals, but the context is decisive in favour of taking this verse to refer to nations, as Psalm 87:4; Psalm 87:6 do. Each nation, reckoned as a whole, receives the right of citizenship. Individuals receive it as members of their nation.

[49] The reading of the LXX, though due apparently simply to a textual error in the Greek (μήτηρ for μήτι, Vulg. numquid), catches the spirit of the Psalm too strikingly to be passed over: O Mother Sion, shall a man say.

The LXX and some other Ancient Versions render hath founded her; but shall establish her, as Psalm 48:8, is certainly right. Under the protection and blessing of the Sovereign Ruler of the world she grows ever stronger and nobler as each fresh nation joins the universal kingdom of God.

6. Jehovah shall reckon, when he registers the peoples,

‘This one was born there.’

Jehovah holds His census of the nations, and writes their names down in His book. One after another of them He registers as ‘born in Zion.’ It is the official confirmation of their rights of citizenship. Allusions to the registers of citizens are found in Psalm 69:28; Isaiah 4:3; Ezekiel 13:9; and the importance attached to genealogical registers appears in Ezra 2:62.

7. Conclusion. The Psalm ends as abruptly as it began, with a verse which is enigmatic in its brevity. It is best explained as an outline picture of the universal rejoicing with which the citizens of Zion greet their mother.

And singing as well as dancing (shall they chant,)

‘All my fountains are in thee.’

The rendering dancing is preferable to playing on the flute (cp. A.V., R.V. marg.). For dancing as an expression of religious rejoicing see Psalm 30:11; Psalm 149:3; Psalm 150:4; Exodus 15:20; 2 Samuel 6:16.

The second line is their anthem. It may even be a fragment of some well-known hymn. My fountains is to be understood metaphorically, as ‘fountains of salvation’ in Isaiah 12:3. Cp. Psalm 36:9 f.; Psalm 84:6; Ezekiel 47:1; Joel 3:18; Zechariah 14:8. It is possible, but less satisfactory, to take the verse as the Psalmist’s apostrophe to Zion:

Both they that sing and they that dance,

All my fountains are in thee:

“meaning that every source of pleasure, music, singing, &c. was to be found in Zion” (Bp Perowne). So Milton in his paraphrase:

Both they who sing and they who dance

With sacred songs are there;

In thee fresh brooks and soft streams glance,

And all my fountains clear.

The obscurity of the verse must however be acknowledged. Cheyne thinks that it may be “a fragment of a description of a joyous procession.” Cp. Psalm 68:25. Is it possible that it is not, strictly speaking, part of the Psalm, but a liturgical direction to sing the anthem “All my fountains are in thee” at the end of the Psalm, as an expression of the joy of Zion’s citizens?