Psalm 87

What a great Psalm that, like the Songs of Ascent (Pilgrim Songs), has as its focus the City of God, Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is a picture of the Heavenly Jerusalem, the city that in Revelation is called the bride, the Lamb’s wife (Rev. 21:9).  However, the earthly Jerusalem stands glorious in her own right.  Glorious things are spoken of her (v3).  For example …

·         Jerusalem is God’s foundation city that is in the holy mountains, v1.  Jerusalem sits in the midst of a collection of hills and steep ravines making any attempt to attack the city a tremendous undertaking (cf. 2 Sam. 5:6-10).  The pilgrim, as he sets out on his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, sees those intimidating hills and wonders, where does my help come from (Psalm 121:1)?  Yet, once inside the city, those same hills illustrate God’s protection against the enemy (Psalm 124:2).  Even today the walls of the Old City reveal an impenetrable fortress built on amazing bedrock.  It is a site to behold!

·         Jerusalem is loved by God above all other cities in Jacob (Israel), v2.  God had promised to choose one location out of all the tribes in Israel to put His name for His dwelling place (Deut. 12:5).  When Israel first entered the land, the tabernacle was established at Shilo (Josh. 18:1).  But God forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had placed among men and instead chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved (Psalm 78:60,68). 

·         Jerusalem is the most favorable city in which one could be born, v4-6.  In the future kingdom of Messiah, when the Most High Himself shall establish Jerusalem at the center of Messianic worship and government, it will be an honor to have been born there.  The Gentiles will be there to worship at the holy hill (Isa. 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-3).  There will even be a highway through Jerusalem connecting Egypt (Rahab in v4, a reference to Egypt, Ps. 89:10; Isa. 30:7; 51:9) and Assyria (Isa. 19:19-25).  The nations in v4 will have a presence in Christ’s kingdom.  Yet none will match the glory of Jerusalem.

·         Jerusalem is the fountain of all God’s blessings, v7.  All my springs are in you!  A spring illustrates God’s abundant blessing.  God calls Himself the fountain of living waters, as opposed to the broken cisterns the wicked people preferred in the days of Jeremiah (Jer. 1:13).  Jesus offered the woman living water when He offered her Himself (John 4:13-14,26).  There will be an amazing fountain broken open in Jerusalem in the time of the Kingdom (Joel 3:18; Ezek. 47:1-12).  Meditate on the river of (God’s) pleasures and the fountain of life that is with God in Psalm 36:8-9.  Truly there is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God (Ps. 46:4).  This is not just a symbol.  Jerusalem is where Jesus died and rose from the grave.  There is no blessing from God outside of the Christ of the gospel (Eph. 1:3).  From the cross in the past to the Kingdom and the New Jerusalem in the future, truly, all our springs are in Jerusalem!  Repent of the broken cisterns of this world that hold no water and embrace the risen Lord, the fountain of living waters!