Message Notes

SSS 4 10 September 2023
Book 3
Psalms 73-89

Text: Psalm 87

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.

1His foundation is in the holy mountains.

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

3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God!

4 “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me;
Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’ ”

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

6 The LORD will record,
When He registers the peoples:
“This one was born there.”

7 Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
“All my springs are in you.”

Psalm 87:1-7

THE SONS OF KORAH

1. They were called Levites

2. Their major focus was to assist the priests in the Temple ministry

3. They had many tasks assigned to them:

a) Physical care of the Temple

b) Custodial work

c) Music Ministry for the musically talented

d) A teaching ministry as well

ONE OF THE PSALMS OF THE SONS OF KORAH

1. Inspiration for this Psalm

a) Zion (Jerusalem)

b) A deep love for Zion

2. Ultimately, inspiration comes from the LORD

a) He inspires the heart to compose

b) He gives insight

c) He gives words to express the rich insights accurately

THE FOUNDATION OF ZION

His foundation is in the holy mountains.

Psalm 87:1

1. Foundations

a) An important thought

b) Any worthwhile thing must be built on a strong foundation

2. The Foundation God had chosen for Zion

a) The strong mountains

b) God chose the holy mountains of Zion (Cf. Psalm 68:14-16)

GOD’S LOVE FOR ZION

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

3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God!

Psalm 87:2-3

1. God chose Zion as His city

“I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.”

2 Chronicles 7:12

For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.”

2 Chronicles 7:16

2. Zion was chosen above all the cities in Israel

3. Glorious things were spoken about Zion

12“I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.”

16For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.”

2 Chronicles 7:12, 16

a) God had chosen Zion as His house of sacrifice

b) He had chosen and sanctified the Temple

c) His name would be there forever

d) His eyes and heart would be there perpetually

GOD’S PROMISE TO REMEMBER HIS PEOPLE

4 “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me;
Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’ ”

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

6 The LORD will record,
When He registers the peoples:
“This one was born there.”

Psalm 87:4-6

1. The enemies of Israel

a) Rahab is an emblematic name for Egypt

i) Associated with Pride/ arrogance

ii) That which is sinful

b) Babylon

c) Philistia

d) Tyre

e) Ethiopia

2. This one was both there

a) This verse is best understood in the light of Isaiah

3 And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.

4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning,

5 then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering.

6 And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.

Isaiah 4:3-6

b) This was a prophetic word

i) Zion would go into captivity because of its sinfulness

ii) It would then be cleansed by the LORD

iii) The remnant is protected by the LORD

iv) The name of each faithful remnant would be recorded by God

c) This concept was applied to Psalm 87:4-6

SPRINGS IN THE LORD

Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
“All my springs are in you.”

Psalm 87:7

1. Singers and players of instruments
Those in the music ministry

2. They will declare that their life springs (inspiration) are in the LORD and Zion which He had chosen