Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

‘sign’, Christ answered those who hated him; “but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so I the Son of Man, will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.” (Mt. 12:39, 40) His deliverance from the grave was an eternal sign of his father’s help and comfort. Send us a sign of your favor, O Lord!

1 Spurgeon 2 Boyce

PSALM 87: THIS ONE WAS BORN IN ZION The City of God

This psalm of the descendants of Korah celebrates the glories of earthly Jerusalem. It also extols the spiritual birth and citizenship in heavenly Zion that believers in Christ experience. Zion was King David’s mountain of worship in Jerusalem and eventually became synonymous as a name for the city. It is used in the New Testament as a picture of the church and ultimately points to the heavenly city where believers will spend eternity with God. Christ is revealed as the ‘foundation’ and the ‘fountain’ of all life, music and rejoicing in the city! The five Gentile nations mentioned here partially fulfill the prophecy of Psalm 86:9; “All the nations…will come and bow before you, Lord; they will praise your great and holy name.” The mention of Babylon and Egypt suggests this psalm was written during Hezekiah’s victory over Assyria and their eventual demise as a world power. The song is divided into 3 sections by 2 ‘In- terludes’.

I CITY OF GOD 1-3 (Interlude) II CITIZENS OF ZION - 4-6 (Interlude) III CELEBRATION ! 7

INTRODUCTION:

“A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A Song.”

Loving Jerusalem and Mount Zion is a special characteristic of the descendants of Korah. In many of their 12 psalms/songs there are words of affection for God in his city and temple: • “ How great is the Lord, and how much we should praise him in the city of our God, which is on his holy mountain!” (Ps. 48:1) • “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty.” (Ps. 84:1)

I THE CITY OF GOD - 1-3

“On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. He loves the city of Jerusalem (Zion) more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, what glorious things are said of you!” (1-3)

This is a three-dimensional city: first it was and is the heart of the Jewish nation and earthly cen- ter of their worship; second it is a picture of the coming New Testament church and finally a represen- tation of our eternal, heavenly home. Abraham bypassed citizenship in every city of this earth because he was looking for this heavenly place: “And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith–for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent…Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.” (Heb. 11:9,10) Christ is the foundation of the church: “For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have–Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 3:11) and the church is incorporated into the heavenly Jerusalem. “…you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…”(Heb. 12:22) and it is also built upon the foundational teachings and ministries of the 12 apostles: “So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God….The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”(Rev. 21:10,14) 212