Born in Zion

DEVOTION

PSALMS

BORN IN ZION

Ps 87

87:1 Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

He has set his foundation on the holy mountain; 2 the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are said of you, O city of God:

Selah 

4 "I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me — Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush — and will say, 'This one was born in Zion.'" 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 of the peoples: "This one was born in Zion."

Selah 

7 As they make music they will sing, "All my fountains are in you."

NIV

In the natural realm this song is all about Jerusalem, the holy mountain, the city built on the mountain of Zion. There is all the records of all these people and places throughout the Old Testament and there is reference made to those who were born in Jerusalem. But there is more here than meets the natural eye. The idea of keeping a record, of the Lord writing in the register of the peoples, reminds us of the book of life. It will hold the names of those born in Zion, which is those who are born again into the kingdom of God, into his Most Holy city, or kingdom. Our names will be spoken, this one is born in the kingdom of God. In the place the Most High has established, the new city of Jerusalem that will come down from heaven. The physical city itself which this song writer may have known, was destroyed several times, and rebuilt. What stands today in not what was, but is built upon the remains of the past. The actual street that Jesus walked are buried beneath ruble which the current city sits upon. So this Jerusalem could very well be the one coming down from heaven, the one we have been born in, as we became born again of the spirit, by the power of God. Our names are written down in the book of life and will be called out as one born in Zion. There will be a time as if in a graduation we will stand or even walk across something as God, or Jesus, or even one of the angels calls out our name as it is written in the book of life. It could be the name we are known by in the here and now, or it could be that new name we will be given. But God will make it known we have been born again, we are in his holy city. We will make much music, singing his praises, for our sin is forgiven, our faith is now real, and we are in the very presence of God. How glorious that will be, when Jesus we will see, when he calls us by name. We will sing, make music about the fact all our fountains, or springs, or source of satisfaction as the Hebrew word implies. All the springs of living water we have are in you O Lord. Everything springs forth from you. You have caused us to be born in Zion.