CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. IV
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. IV

Psalm LXXXVII (87)

Cantillated — Declarative Zion Praise

Paul Whitehorn

0:004:22
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Psalm 87 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song.

1

His foundation is in the holy mountains.

לִבְנֵי־קֹ֭רַח מִזְמ֣וֹר שִׁ֑יר יְ֝סוּדָת֗וֹ בְּהַרְרֵי־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃

2

Yahweh loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

אֹהֵ֣ב יְ֭הוָה שַׁעֲרֵ֣י צִיּ֑וֹן מִ֝כֹּ֗ל מִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹת יַעֲקֹֽב׃

3

Glorious things are spoken about you, city of God. Selah.

נִ֭כְבָּדוֹת מְדֻבָּ֣ר בָּ֑ךְ עִ֖יר הָאֱלֹהִ֣ים סֶֽלָה׃

4

I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia: “This one was born there.”

אַזְכִּ֤יר ׀ רַ֥הַב וּבָבֶ֗ל לְֽיֹ֫דְעָ֥י הִנֵּ֤ה פְלֶ֣שֶׁת וְצ֣וֹר עִם־כּ֑וּשׁ זֶ֝֗ה יֻלַּד־שָֽׁם׃

5

Yes, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one was born in her;” the Most High himself will establish her.

וּֽלֲצִיּ֨וֹן ׀ יֵאָמַ֗ר אִ֣ישׁ וְ֭אִישׁ יֻלַּד־בָּ֑הּ וְה֖וּא יְכוֹנְנֶ֣הָ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

6

Yahweh will count, when he writes up the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah.

יְֽהוָ֗ה יִ֭סְפֹּר בִּכְת֣וֹב עַמִּ֑ים זֶ֖ה יֻלַּד־שָׁ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃

7

Those who sing as well as those who dance say, “All my springs are in you.”

וְשָׁרִ֥ים כְּחֹלְלִ֑ים כָּֽל־מַעְיָנַ֥י בָּֽךְ׃

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.

Founded on the heights

Holy mountains

Zion stands

City of God

The Lord loves Zion’s gates

More than all

Jacob’s homes

Glorious things are said

Over you

City of God

Born in Zion

Called by name

Written in the nations

We remain

All my springs

Are in You

All my life

Flows from You

Rahab and Babylon

They will know

Philistia and Tyre

Cush as well

“This one born

Here in Zion”

They will say

“This one born”

Born in Zion

Called by name

Written in the nations

We remain

All my springs

Are in You

All my life

Flows from You

The Lord records the names

Writes them down

Every soul

Counted now

“This one born

Here in Zion”

Set in place

By the Most High

Singers rise

Dancers move

All my fountains

Flow from You

Born in Zion

Called by name

Written in the nations

We remain

All my springs

Are in You

All my life

Flows from You

All my springs

Are in You

All my life

Flows from You

All my springs

Are in You

City of God

In You

Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.

Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.

About these songs. They are a summary and a commentary on the Psalms, not a word-for-word translation. Read what these songs are →

What These Songs Are, and What They Are Not

These songs are not a word-for-word translation of the Psalms. They were never meant to be. Nor do they try to capture every idea in every psalm. In a song, that would be impossible.

What we have done is capture the essence of each psalm: what matters most in it. Think of each song as a summary. Think of it as a cheat sheet. The purpose of the psalm is still being met. God's word to mankind is still being heard.

Behind many of these lines is word research: deep study of the meaning of the Hebrew. So where a line sounds different from your translation, and you think it is wrong, study it. We believe you will find that the essence of what we sing is true.

The truth is that no one can set the Psalms to music without also becoming a commentator. That is what this is. It is a modern commentary on the Psalms: not only the Psalms themselves, and not only the Psalms being sung. So do not think that every word of the psalm is here. It is not. Read the psalm itself, in full.

Why do this at all? Because we believe God intended humanity to be surrounded by His word. This was always the entertainment He wanted us to have: not hours of television, not a day lost in a phone looking at nonsense. The blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates on God's word day and night. How can we meditate on His word if we do not surround ourselves with it?

As ministers, our first responsibility is to share God's word with people. That is what these songs are for.

Paul Whitehorn