Read Psalm 87 at Bible Gateway.
The paragraph divisions are marked with in the Psalm.
Psalm 87:1-7 Chiasm
1A.1) 87:1 His FOUNDATION is in the holy mountains;
1A.2) 87:2-3 YHVH loves THE GATES OF ZION more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O CITY OF GOD; Selah
1B) 87:4 ‘I will make mention of RAHAB and BABYLON as among them that know Me; {n} Behold PHILISTIA, and TYRE, with ETHIOPIA; THIS ONE WAS BORN THERE;’
CENTRAL AXIS) 87:5 BUT OF ZION IT SHALL BE SAID: ‘THIS MAN AND THAT WAS BORN IN HER; {n} AND THE MOST HIGH HIMSELF DOES ESTABLISH HER;’
2B) 87:6 YHVH shall count in the REGISTER OF THE PEOPLES: ‘THIS ONE WAS BORN THERE;’ Selah
2A.1) 87:7A And those who sing or dance say, all my SPRINGS;
2A.2) 87:7B Are IN YOU. {p}
Hebrew root word parables.
FOUNDATION. Strong’s H3248 yesuwdah, a feminine noun, as an abstract concept meaning, “foundation;” from Strong’s H3246 yesuwd, a masculine noun, as a concrete object meaning, “foundation;” from Strong’s H3245 יסד yasad, a primitive root meaning, “to found, to lay a foundation, to establish, to begin.”
yud י = closed hand, thus work, throw, worship
sin ס = thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
dalet ד = door, thus enter, move, hang
The story. Work (yud) employed to clear ground of weeds (sin, as thorns) and grade it back and forth (dalet, as a door swings back and forth on its hinges), that is, to level a piece of ground for planting or building.
SPRINGS. Strong’s H4599 mayan, as a concrete object meaning, “a fountain or well of water;” as an abstract concept, “a source of blessing or satisfaction.” From Strong’s H5869 עין ayin, a concrete object meaning, “eye,” a primitive word with no verbal root.
ayin ע = eye, thus watch, know, shade
yud י = closed hand, thus work, throw, worship
nun נ ן = seed, thus continue, heir, son
The story: Watching over (ayin) the work (yud) of planting (nun), whether literally, as planting fields with crops, or figuratively, as establishing a household, business, or any endeavor; watching over as the purpose of the eye. The relation of “eye” to “springs of water” is in the source of blessing or satisfaction:
The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Luk 11:34
That which your eye beholds becomes a source of good and light, or evil and darkness to your person. Therefore Scripture contains the admonition to guard your eyes from worthless things (Psa 119:37). That is the natural application. The spiritual application is in what your eye perceives. If your eye perceives good, and the hand of God, even in a bad circumstance, that which is bad cannot pollute you with darkness. If your eye perceives evil even in a good circumstance, that evil pollutes you with darkness, even if it is a lie and in reality the evil does not exist. It all comes down to a little perspective.
Back to the Psalm. Jerusalem is founded in the mountains of Israel, but notice that the city of God is not named Jerusalem but Zion. Jerusalem is the natural city, and Zion is the spiritual city. And those who are born in her, have their citizenship in the city of God. How is one born in a spiritual city rather than in a natural city such as Babylon?
Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Joh 3:3-5
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