Font Size
Psalm 87
New International Version
Psalm 87
New International Version
Psalm 87
Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.
1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.(A)
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion(B)
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said of you,
city of God:[a](C)
4 “I will record Rahab[b](D) and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia(E) too, and Tyre(F), along with Cush[c]—
and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”[d](G)
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.”
6 The Lord will write in the register(H) of the peoples:
“This one was born in Zion.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 87:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
- Psalm 87:4 A poetic name for Egypt
- Psalm 87:4 That is, the upper Nile region
- Psalm 87:4 Or “I will record concerning those who acknowledge me: / ‘This one was born in Zion.’ / Hear this, Rahab and Babylon, / and you too, Philistia, Tyre and Cush.”
Psalm 87
The Message
Psalm 87
The Message
87 1-3 He founded Zion on the Holy Mountain—
and oh, how God loves his home!
Loves it far better than all
the homes of Jacob put together!
God’s hometown—oh!
everyone there is talking about you!
4 I name them off, those among whom I’m famous:
Egypt and Babylon,
also Philistia,
even Tyre, along with Cush.
Word’s getting around; they point them out:
“This one was born again here!”
5 The word’s getting out on Zion:
“Men and women, right and left,
get born again in her!”
6 God registers their names in his book:
“This one, this one, and this one—
born again, right here.”
7 Singers and dancers give credit to Zion:
“All my springs are in you!”
Psalm 87
Amplified Bible
Psalm 87
Amplified Bible
The Privileges of Citizenship in Zion.
A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.
87 His foundation is on the holy mountain.
2
The Lord loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob (Israel).
3
Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God [Jerusalem]. Selah.
4
“I will mention Rahab (Egypt) and Babylon among those who know Me—
Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia (Cush)—
‘This one was born there.’”
5
But of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her,”
And the Most High Himself will establish her.
6
The Lord will count, when He registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah.
7
The singers as well as the players of flutes will say,
“All my springs and sources of joy are in you [Jerusalem, city of God].”
Psalm 87
New Living Translation
Psalm 87
New Living Translation
Psalm 87
A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 On the holy mountain
stands the city founded by the Lord.
2 He loves the city of Jerusalem
more than any other city in Israel.[a]
3 O city of God,
what glorious things are said of you! Interlude
4 I will count Egypt[b] and Babylon among those who know me—
also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia.[c]
They have all become citizens of Jerusalem!
5 Regarding Jerusalem[d] it will be said,
“Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there.”
And the Most High will personally bless this city.
6 When the Lord registers the nations, he will say,
“They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.” Interlude
7 The people will play flutes[e] and sing,
“The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!”
Footnotes
- 87:2 Hebrew He loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. See note on 44:4.
- 87:4a Hebrew Rahab, the name of a mythical sea monster that represents chaos in ancient literature. The name is used here as a poetic name for Egypt.
- 87:4b Hebrew Cush.
- 87:5 Hebrew Zion.
- 87:7 Or will dance.
Psalm 87
New King James Version
Psalm 87
New King James Version
The Glories of the City of God
A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.
87 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 (A)The Lord loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 (B)Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God! Selah
4 “I will make mention of [a]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 (C)registers the peoples:
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
“All my springs are in you.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 87:4 Egypt
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Amplified Bible (AMP) 
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.