Psalms 87 · The Lantern

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A song. He has founded His city on the holy mountains.

The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

Glorious things are ascribed to you, O city of God. Selah

Pass now, pray, to the others who were saved by repentance. Perhaps even among the women someone will say, "I have committed fornication and adultery. I have defiled my body with every excess. Can there be salvation for me?" Fix your eyes, woman, on Rahab, and look for salvation for yourself too.

Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Therefore that which was said, Its foundations are in the holy mountains, we can also say of God. But we can also say this. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. What is this city? Where were glorious things spoken? In all the prophets it was spoken of this city.

"Very excellent things are said of thee, thou city of God" (ver. 3). He was, as it were, contemplating that city of Jerusalem on earth: for consider what city he alludes to, of which certain very excellent things are spoken.

“I will mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me— along with Philistia, Tyre, and Cush— when I say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”

And it will be said of Zion: “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High Himself will establish her.”

Will a man say to Zion, and a man is born in her? The Seventy translators rendered it thus: Will a man say to Zion? Many, then, expected, and did not understand what μήτη Σιὼν is: and they added a ρ, and they read μήτηρ Σιὼν ἐρεῖ ἄνθρωπος (mother Zion will a man say).

Listen now to a deep mystery. Rahab is there through Him, through whom also is Babylon, now no longer Babylon, but beginning to be Jerusalem.

The Church had to be founded: therefore it was necessary to lay the foundations, namely the commandments of God, and it was necessary that they be placed in some person. This could not be except in the glorious Virgin; as the Psalm says: "His foundations are in the holy mountains: a man is born in her, and the Most High himself has founded her."

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

Singers and pipers will proclaim, “All my springs of joy are in You.”

Psalms87