Psalm 87:5
And it will be said of Zion: "This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High Himself will establish her."
And it will be said of Zion:

Zion, Jerusalem, stands as the city God chose for His name and the earthly center of His redemptive purposes. The proclamation anticipates the day when her God-given dignity and glory will be openly acknowledged. Her future exaltation accords with Isaiah 2:2–3, when the nations will seek the Lord’s instruction from Zion, and with the New Jerusalem, where God dwells eternally with His redeemed people.

Isa 60:14 The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you;…
Isa 62:12 And they will be called the Holy People,…
Zec 8:3 This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion…

“This one and that one were born in her,

People once identified with distant nations will be counted as Zion’s own citizens. Psalm 87:4 names Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush, showing that God’s grace reaches beyond Israel to gather worshipers from every people. Through faith in Christ, those formerly far off are brought into God’s household and share in the blessings promised through Abraham (Genesis 12:3; Ephesians 2:11–22).

Isa 66:8 Who has heard of such as this? Who has seen such things?…
Isa 4:3 Whoever remains in Zion and whoever is left……
Heb 12:22-23 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city…

and the Most High Himself will establish her.”

Zion’s security rests upon the sovereign work of the Most High, not upon human strength or political power. God established Jerusalem as the place of His dwelling, preserved His covenant purposes through its history, and will fulfill His promises concerning His kingdom. Christ, the cornerstone, establishes His people as God’s spiritual house while assuring the final triumph of God’s dwelling among humanity (Ephesians 2:19–22; Revelation 21:3–4).

Psa 48:8 As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD of Hosts…
Isa 14:32 What answer will be given to the envoys of that nation?…
Psa 132:13-14 For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Zion
Often used to refer to Jerusalem, Zion is a symbol of God's chosen city and His dwelling place. It represents the spiritual center of God's kingdom and His covenant with His people.

2. The Most High
A title for God, emphasizing His supreme authority and sovereignty over all creation. In this context, it highlights God's role in establishing and blessing Zion.

3. This one and that one
Refers to the people who are born in Zion, symbolizing those who are part of God's covenant community. It suggests a diverse and inclusive gathering of God's people.
Teaching Points
Spiritual Birthright
Just as being born in Zion signifies belonging to God's people, believers today are spiritually reborn into God's family through faith in Christ. This spiritual birthright is a source of identity and purpose.

God's Sovereignty in Establishment
The Most High Himself establishes Zion, reminding us that God is the ultimate authority in establishing His kingdom and His people. We can trust in His plans and purposes for our lives.

Inclusivity of God's Kingdom
The mention of "this one and that one" being born in Zion highlights the inclusivity of God's kingdom. It is open to all who come to Him in faith, regardless of their background.

Covenant Community
Being part of Zion signifies being part of a covenant community. As believers, we are called to live in fellowship with one another, supporting and encouraging each other in our faith journey.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of being "born in Zion" relate to our identity as Christians today?

2. In what ways can we see God's sovereignty in establishing His kingdom in our personal lives and communities?

3. How can we, as a church, reflect the inclusivity of God's kingdom as described in Psalm 87:5?

4. What are some practical ways we can strengthen our sense of belonging to God's covenant community?

5. How do the connections to other scriptures, such as Galatians 4:26 and Hebrews 12:22-23, deepen our understanding of Psalm 87:5?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 2:2-3
This passage speaks of the nations streaming to the mountain of the Lord, which is Zion, to learn His ways. It connects to the idea of Zion being a spiritual center for all people.

Galatians 4:26
Paul refers to the "Jerusalem above" as our mother, drawing a parallel to the spiritual birth and citizenship in God's kingdom, similar to being "born in her" as mentioned in Psalm 87:5.

Hebrews 12:22-23
Describes believers coming to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, which aligns with the idea of being established by the Most High in a spiritual sense.
Fragrant Memories of Spiritual Birth-PlacesBishop Phillips Brooks.Psalm 87:5
The Church of To-DayZ. T. Dowen, D. D.Psalm 87:5
The Church's FruitfulnessS. Charnock.Psalm 87:5
The Church's StabilityS. Charnock.Psalm 87:5
Zion a Type of the ChurchEssex RemembrancerPsalm 87:5
A Material Portrait of the Spiritual ChurchHomilistPsalm 87:1-7
The City of GodJ. O. Keen, D. D.Psalm 87:1-7
The Glory of the ChurchC. Short Psalm 87:1-7
The Habitation of GodS. Conway Psalm 87:1-7
People
Heman, Jacob, Korah, Mahalath, Psalmist, Rahab
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Birth, Born, Establish, Highest, Strong, Yea, Yes, Zion
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 87:5

     9414   heaven, community of redeemed

Psalm 87:1-7

     7468   temple, rebuilding

Psalm 87:4-6

     5655   birth

Library
Whether Pain is a Passion of the Soul?
Objection 1: It would seem that pain is not a passion of the soul. Because no passion of the soul is in the body. But pain can be in the body, since Augustine says (De Vera Relig. xii), that "bodily pain is a sudden corruption of the well-being of that thing which the soul, by making evil use of it, made subject to corruption." Therefore pain is not a passion of the soul. Objection 2: Further, every passion of the soul belongs to the appetitive faculty. But pain does not belong to the appetitive,
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Ancient Church
THE ANCIENT CHURCH: Its History, Doctrine, Worship, and Constitution, Traced for the First Three Hundred Years. BY W.D. KILLEN, D.D. Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Pastoral Theology to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." PSALM lxxxvii. 3. NEW YORK: MDCCC.LIX.
William Dool Killen—The Ancient Church

Our Status.
"And he believed in the Lord: and he counted it to him for righteousness." --Gen. xv. 6. The right touches a man's status. So long as the law has not proven him guilty, has not convicted and sentenced him, his legal status is that of a free and law-abiding citizen. But as soon as his guilt is proven in court and the jury has convicted him, he passes from that into the status of the bound and law-breaking citizen. The same applies to our relation to God. Our status before God is that either of the
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Golden Calf
'And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3. And all the people brake off the golden
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Vehicles of Revelation; Scripture, the Church, Tradition.
(a) The supreme and unique revelation of God to man is in the Person of the Incarnate Son. But though unique the Incarnation is not solitary. Before it there was the divine institution of the Law and the Prophets, the former a typical anticipation (de Incarn. 40. 2) of the destined reality, and along with the latter (ib. 12. 2 and 5) for all the world a holy school of the knowledge of God and the conduct of the soul.' After it there is the history of the life and teaching of Christ and the writings
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

The Hindrances to Mourning
What shall we do to get our heart into this mourning frame? Do two things. Take heed of those things which will stop these channels of mourning; put yourselves upon the use of all means that will help forward holy mourning. Take heed of those things which will stop the current of tears. There are nine hindrances of mourning. 1 The love of sin. The love of sin is like a stone in the pipe which hinders the current of water. The love of sin makes sin taste sweet and this sweetness in sin bewitches the
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

The Worst Things Work for Good to the Godly
DO not mistake me, I do not say that of their own nature the worst things are good, for they are a fruit of the curse; but though they are naturally evil, yet the wise overruling hand of God disposing and sanctifying them, they are morally good. As the elements, though of contrary qualities, yet God has so tempered them, that they all work in a harmonious manner for the good of the universe. Or as in a watch, the wheels seem to move contrary one to another, but all carry on the motions of the watch:
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

The Foundation of the Church among the Jews
A.D. 33-A.D. 38 Before entering upon an account of the Foundation and After-History of the Christian Church, it may be well to consider what that Church really is. Section 1. Definition of the Church. [Sidenote: Twofold nature of the Church.] The Church may be regarded in a twofold aspect, as an external Corporation, and as a spiritual Body. [Sidenote: 1. An external Kingdom.] In the first light it is a Kingdom, in the world, though not of the world, extending through different and widely-separated
John Henry Blunt—A Key to the Knowledge of Church History

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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