Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 87
The lxxxvii. PSALM.
For as much as … the captivity upon their return, the Iew… w…re or might b… d…j…cted with the pa…citie of their people, and povertie of their condition, the holy Ghost by the Psalmist animates them, and diverts the thoughts and apprehensions of the godly, by setting forth the glorious priviledges of Sion proph…sted of old, but not yet fulfilled, saving in their sh…dows, which shortly would be accomplished in substance, when all nations should be ambitious to be Sionists, for the Church it selfe should bear that name, which shall abound both in a numerous issue, and heavenly qualifications.
Psalm lxxxvii. A Psalm or song for the sons of Korah.A Psalm made to be both sung and played by the Korathites.
1HIs foundation is in the holy mountains.1 THe holy, Lord God, from out all the world hath chosen Canaan, a hilly countrey; Jerusalem, a mountainous place; and in Jerusalem, mount Sion and Moriah to scituate his Temple, and to rest his Ark, and establish his worship in: There had his Church (the pillar and ground of truth) the first setling, and truth it self the first firm footing, upon which foundation (laid among these hils) was to be built and reared, that great famous structure of the Gentil-Church, Christ himself the principal corner-stone digged out of those mountains, being himself the master builder.
2The Lord loveth the gates of S…on, more than all the dwellings of Jacob.2 The Lord hath made a special choice of and expressed therein a particular respect, before all the rest of the land of Judah and Israel, to the hill of Sion, scituate in Jerusalem, and to Jerusalem in the whole circumference therof for Sions sake, where his Tabernacle, Ark, and Temple is, for there true religion must abide, till the coming of the Messiah, and hence it must be spread over all the world.
3 However outwardly Jerusalem is by the heavy mis-fortunes that have befallen her,3Glorious things are spoken of thee: O citie of God. Selah. much lessened in beauty and glory, to what she was, yet glorious prophesies of spiritual excellencies (whereof the former splendour was but adumbrations) are recorded concerning her, which are not yet fulfilled; O thou citie of Gods peculiar love and election, be yet comforted, and confident they shall be; doubt it not.
4 Such glory shall shine from the tops of thy holy mountains,4I will make mention of Rahab, and Babylon to them that know 'me: behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia, this man was born there. and from thy holy citie (as much changed as it is) as shall be resplendent all the world over; insomuch as I dare promise thee a mighty access of free-denizons, members of the Church, a glorious recruit of many that God shall call from all the parts, & teach to know, and reverence him, and thee for his sake, even out of remote countries, and from amongst thy bitter enemies, as Egypt, Babylon, the Philistines, Tyre, and Ethiopia, they shall flock to thee, when the Messiah is known to be in thee, and being partakers of the new birth, shall be ambitious to be called after thy name, children of the new Jerusalem.
5 And as they shall be ambitious to be citizens of Jerusalem,5And of Sion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. so also to be sons and daughters of Sion; in a word, they shall think themselves happy and blessed, that they are begotten to God, made partakers of the spiritual and new birth, regenerated by the holy ghost, and so incorporated in the seed and posteritie of faithful Abraham, heirs of the Covenant, and grace of salvation with us, and so naturalized into the priviledge and participation of God, and his worship practized in the Church typified by Sion, which new Jerusalem and her denizons, Sion and her children, shall be founded upon the power of God, who shall uphold and maintain her to perpetuitie, so that the gates of hell shall not prevail against her. Kingdoms and Empires shall have their period, but the Church, Christs Kingdom, who is above all blessed for ever, shall be everlasting.
6The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people: that this man was born there. Selah.6 Yea, the Lord himself shall name thy name upon his called and elect ones, he shall muster them in the role of thy souldiers, and number them in the catalogue of thy Citizens, all that are his shall also be thine, sons and daughters begotten of God, but born in Sion, as God shall be their Father, so Sion shall be their mother, by which name the Church it self shall be called. A glorious priviledge.
7As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there, all my springs are in thee.7 And as Sion shall be glorious in a numerous spiritual of-spring, so in equivalent solemnities to what she was wont to have, nay, beyond it, for whereas all Israel had but one Temple, then every Israelite, every member of this new Jerusalem shall be a Temple, and every one of those Temples furnished with the substances of all those shadowish significant ceremonies; the Church shall have no want of voices and musical instruments to praise the Lord withall, they shall be in abundance, men of large graces and enlarged hearts. My heart is ravished with the apprehension of the happiness of those times, what graces, what comforts, all that a faithful soul can desire, or a hungrie soul stands in need of, shall be plentifully supplied to the Church, and the members thereof in this new Jerusalem, and spiritual Sion, wherewith I desire to be happie, and hereof to share, as being indeed the onelyonly comfortable soul-refreshing musick.