Why is Jerusalem called the "city of God" in Psalm 87:3? Text of Psalm 87:3 “Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah” Historical Setting of Psalm 87 Written after David captured Zion (2 Samuel 5:6-9) and before the Babylonian exile, the psalm celebrates God’s sovereign choice of Jerusalem as His earthly dwelling (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:6). Ussher’s chronology places the capture of Jerusalem at 2956 A.M. (c. 1003 B.C.), roughly 40 years before Solomon’s Temple was dedicated. Divine Election of Jerusalem Unlike Egypt’s pyramids or Babylon’s ziggurats—monuments to human kings—Jerusalem is singled out by revelation: • 1 Kings 11:13: “Yet I will give one tribe to his son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.” • Psalm 132:13-14: “For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation: ‘This is My resting place forever…’” God’s choice, not Israel’s merit, explains the title “city of God.” The Temple: Concentrated Presence From the Shekinah glory filling Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11) to the torn veil at Christ’s crucifixion (Matthew 27:51), Jerusalem houses the unique intersection of heaven and earth. Psalm 46:4 ties the “city of God” to “the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High,” making the sanctuary central to the designation. Covenant with David and Messianic Throne God covenants an everlasting dynasty to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16), inseparably linking the Messiah to Jerusalem. Jesus’ triumphal entry (Luke 19:41-44) and bodily resurrection (Luke 24) occur there, fulfilling Psalm 2:6: “I have installed My King on Zion, My holy mountain.” The resurrection, confirmed by early creedal testimony (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) and minimal-facts scholarship, seals Jerusalem’s role as the stage of redemption. Salvation-History Trajectory Eden was lost through sin; Sinai introduced covenant law; Zion unites covenant and kingship; Calvary, within Jerusalem’s walls, provides atonement; the empty tomb outside the wall validates it. Thus Psalm 87 telescopes Israel’s story into one focal point where grace, law, and kingship converge. Comparative Biblical Usage • Psalm 48:1-2 “Great is the LORD…in the city of our God, His holy mountain.” • Psalm 46:4 “There is a river whose streams delight the city of God.” • Isaiah 60:14 “They will call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” Each text couples “city” with God’s holiness, security, and eschatological hope. Eschatological Horizon: New Jerusalem Revelation 21:2 speaks of the heavenly Jerusalem descending, echoing Psalm 87. The earthly “city of God” becomes the archetype of the eternal dwelling where “the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city” (Revelation 22:3). The present Jerusalem therefore previews the ultimate consummation. Archaeological Corroboration • Hezekiah’s Tunnel & Siloam Inscription (2 Kings 20:20) attest to Judaean kingship and 8th-century Jerusalem engineering. • The “Large Stone Structure” excavated in the City of David (Mazar, 2005-2013) dates to the 10th century B.C., consistent with the United Monarchy. • Bullae of Hezekiah and Isaiah (Ophel excavations, 2015) place named biblical figures in situ. These finds reinforce the historicity of the city lauded in Psalm 87. Theological Significance for Believers Jerusalem symbolizes: a) God’s faithful dwelling with His people—fulfilled in Christ (John 1:14) and continued by the Spirit indwelling believers (1 Corinthians 3:16). b) Security amid turmoil—Psalm 46 frames the “city of God” as immovable despite cosmic upheaval. c) Mission—Isaiah 2:3 envisions nations streaming to Zion for instruction, mirrored today as the gospel goes global from the empty tomb’s victory. Practical Response Because God stakes His name on Jerusalem, disciples live with: • Confidence—our faith rests on verifiable history. • Expectation—the same city will welcome the returning King (Zechariah 14:4). • Worship—echoing Psalm 87, we proclaim “Glorious things are spoken of you,” celebrating the God who chose, redeemed, and will renew His city and His people. Hence, Jerusalem is called “the city of God” because God chose it, dwelt in it, redeemed through it, and will consummate history with it—making it the geographical heartbeat of His redemptive plan. |
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