His foundation is in the holy mountains.
Parallel translations
- WEB A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song. His foundation is in the holy mountains.
- BSB A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A song. He has founded His city on the holy mountains.
- NKJV His foundation is in the holy mountains.
- NASB His foundation is in the holy mountains.
- NLT On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God's city has its foundation in the holy mountains of Zion. Zion's stability rests on God Himself.
Overview
Psalm 87 celebrates Zion, the city of God, whose foundation God has laid on His holy hill. The emphasis is on divine establishment rather than human achievement. This city points beyond earthly Jerusalem to the heavenly Zion, the church and city of the living God founded on Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Isa 28:16Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
- Isa 56:7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
- Eph 2:20–22And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
- Matt 16:18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
- Ps 48:1–2Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
- Isa 2:2–3And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
- 1 Cor 3:10–11According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
- Zech 8:3Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
- 2 Pet 1:18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
- Ps 68:16Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
- 1 Pet 2:4–8To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
- Ps 121:1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
- 2 Chr 3:1Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 87:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.