Psalms

Psalm 87:1–5

1A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A song.

He has founded His city

on the holy mountains.a

2The LORD loves the gates of Zion

more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

3Glorious things are ascribed to you,

O city of God.

Selah

4“I will mention Rahabb and Babylon

among those who know Me —

along with Philistia, Tyre, and Cushc —

when I say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”

5And it will be said of Zion:

“This one and that one were born in her,

and the Most High Himself will establish her.”

Footnotes

  • a 87:1 Literally His foundation is on the holy mountains
  • b 87:4 Rahab is a poetic name for Egypt.
  • c 87:4 That is, the upper Nile region

Read all of Psalm 87

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 87:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
A Psalmמִזְמ֣וֹרmiz·mō·wrNoun - masculine singularH4210 melody
of the sonsלִבְנֵי־liḇ·nê-Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
of Korahקֹ֭רַחqō·raḥNoun - proper - masculine singularH7141 Korach
A songשִׁ֑ירšîrNoun - masculine singularH7892 song
He has founded His cityיְ֝סוּדָת֗וֹyə·sū·ḏā·ṯōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3248 foundation = city founded
on the holyקֹֽדֶשׁ׃qō·ḏešNoun - masculine singularH6944 sacred, sanctity
mountainsבְּהַרְרֵי־bə·har·rê-Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural constructH2042 mountain

Psalm 87:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
lovesאֹהֵ֣ב’ō·hêḇVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH157 love
the gatesשַׁעֲרֵ֣יša·‘ă·rêNoun - masculine plural constructH8179 gate
of Zionצִיּ֑וֹןṣî·yō·wnNoun - proper - feminine singularH6726 Zion
more than allמִ֝כֹּ֗לmik·kōlPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the dwellingsמִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹתmiš·kə·nō·wṯNoun - masculine plural constructH4908 dwelling-place, 'tabernacle'
of Jacobיַעֲקֹֽב׃ya·‘ă·qōḇNoun - proper - masculine singularH3290 Jacob

Psalm 87:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Glorious thingsנִ֭כְבָּדוֹתniḵ·bā·ḏō·wṯVerb - Nifal - Participle - feminine pluralH3513 be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured
are ascribedמְדֻבָּ֣רmə·ḏub·bārVerb - Pual - Participle - masculine singularH1696 speak
to youבָּ֑ךְbāḵPreposition; second person feminine singular
O cityעִ֖יר‘îrNoun - feminine singular constructH5892 excitement
of Godהָאֱלֹהִ֣יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
Selahסֶֽלָה׃se·lāhInterjectionH5542 lift up

Psalm 87:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
I will mentionאַזְכִּ֤יר׀’az·kîrVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularH2142 remember
Rahabרַ֥הַבra·haḇNoun - masculine singularH7293 storm, arrogance
and Babylonוּבָבֶ֗לū·ḇā·ḇelConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - feminine singularH894 Babel, Babylon
among those who know Meלְֽיֹ֫דְעָ֥יlə·yō·ḏə·‘āyPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singularH3045 know
along withהִנֵּ֤הhin·nêhInterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
Philistiaפְלֶ֣שֶׁתp̄ə·le·šeṯNoun - proper - feminine singularH6429 Philistia
Tyreוְצ֣וֹרwə·ṣō·wrConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - feminine singularH6865 Tyre
andעִם־‘im-PrepositionH5973 with
Cushכּ֑וּשׁkūšNoun - proper - feminine singularH3568 Cush
This oneזֶ֝֗הzehPronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
was bornיֻלַּד־yul·laḏ-Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person masculine singularH3205 bear, bring forth, beget

Psalm 87:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And it will be saidיֵאָמַ֗רyê·’ā·marVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
of Zionוּֽלֲצִיּ֨וֹן׀ū·lă·ṣî·yō·wnConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - proper - feminine singularH6726 Zion
This oneאִ֣ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
and that oneוְ֭אִישׁwə·’îšConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH376 man
were bornיֻלַּד־yul·laḏ-Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person masculine singularH3205 bear, bring forth, beget
in herבָּ֑הּbāhPreposition; third person feminine singular
and the Most Highעֶלְיֽוֹן׃‘el·yō·wnAdjective - masculine singularH5945 high
Himselfוְה֖וּאwə·hūConjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
will establish herיְכוֹנְנֶ֣הָyə·ḵō·wn·ne·hāVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singularH3559 be firm

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 87:1 Isaiah 28:16 · Isaiah 56:7 · Isaiah 2:2–3 · Ephesians 2:20–22 · Matthew 16:18 · Psalm 48:1–2 · Zechariah 8:3 · 1 Corinthians 3:10–11 · Psalm 68:16 · 2 Chronicles 3:1 · Psalm 121:1 · 2 Peter 1:18

Psalm 87:2 Psalm 132:13–14 · Deuteronomy 12:5 · Psalm 78:67–69 · 2 Chronicles 6:6 · Isaiah 14:32 · Joel 2:32

Psalm 87:3 Ezekiel 37:27–28 · Ezekiel 36:11–38 · Revelation 21:10–27 · Hebrews 12:22–23 · Psalm 48:2–3 · Jeremiah 31:12–13 · Revelation 14:1

Psalm 87:4 Isaiah 19:23–25 · Psalm 45:12 · Psalm 68:31 · Job 9:13 · Psalm 89:10

Psalm 87:5 Romans 8:31 · Galatians 3:26–28 · John 1:12–14 · Ezekiel 48:35 · 1 Peter 1:23–24 · Isaiah 60:1–9 · Hebrews 12:22–24 · Hebrews 11:32–12:2 · Isaiah 44:4–5 · John 3:3–5 · Psalm 48:8 · Matthew 16:18

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.