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
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
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
Psalm 87
Good News Translation
In Praise of Jerusalem[a]
87 The Lord built his city on the sacred hill;[b]
2 more than any other place in Israel
he loves the city of Jerusalem.
3 Listen, city of God,
to the wonderful things he says about you:
4 “I will include Egypt and Babylonia
when I list the nations that obey me;
the people of Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia[c]
I will number among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
5 Of Zion it will be said
that all nations belong there
and that the Almighty will make her strong.
6 The Lord will write a list of the peoples
and include them all as citizens of Jerusalem.
7 They dance and sing,
“In Zion is the source of all our blessings.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 87:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by the clan of Korah; a song.
- Psalm 87:1 See 2.6.
- Psalm 87:4 Hebrew Cush: Cush is the ancient name of the extensive territory south of the First Cataract of the Nile River. This region was called Ethiopia in Graeco-Roman time, and included within its borders most of modern Sudan and some of present-day Ethiopia (Abyssinia).
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.


