This Bible Study is is provided by http://www.theseason.org/ and shared with permission from it's author R. Christopherson

"A song or Psalm for the sons of Korah." This Psalm 87 is of David bringing the ark to the mountain. This is addressed to the same family that was addressed in Psalms 42-49. Though God destroyed Korah for his wickedness, God found grace with those sons that sought repentance.

Psalms 87:1 "His foundation is in the holy mountains."

Again, "His" is speaking of Almighty God, YHVH's foundation that was laid in Zion.

Psalms 87:2 "The Lord loveth the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob."

It doesn't matter where the tribes of Israel traveled and settled in this entire world, God loves His Mount Zion. This is His choice spot on all the earth.

Psalms 87:3 "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God, Selah."

This is not talking about a person, but a city, the city of Jerusalem where Mount Zion is. So the subject for this chapter is Jerusalem. Then we have a Selah, telling us to stop and think on what has just been said, and connect the two lines of thought. This Selah is connecting the first alternation with the second. In other words, though we may be talking of some place else, the subject stays the same. That subject is God's love for the city of Jerusalem.

Psalms 87:4 "I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: Behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; This man was born there."

"Rehab" as used here is Egypt by name, but refers to "Pride or haughtiness". "Babylon" is confusion, And as this verse is translated it is impossible to understand the way it was in the Hebrew Massorah text. If we change the word "born" to "reborn" it would be more accurate. "This man was reborn, or born from above, there." What God has said in this alternation is that the most precious spot in the world is in Zion, Jerusalem. Even more precious than what Egypt, or Babylon, or the Kenites' [Tyre], or the Ethiopians have to offer. So this verse is telling us that there is a time coming when these people from all these lands will come to Jerusalem and say, I was born, or reborn here. Yes even Satan's own seed [the Kenites] will come to Jerusalem and make this statement. This is talking about their spiritual birth, and not that of these flesh bodies. Stop and think for a moment, for every knee will bow to the King of Kings, Jesus the Christ, and that happens after the seventh trump has sounded and Jesus is right here on earth with us.

Every knee will stand there on mount Zion and claim birth ship in the Spirit to that geographic location, and to that King. This is not speaking of the restoration of all things, but only what shall take place on the first day of that Millennium age, at the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. There shall be many that will have a change of mind and follow Satan again, before the last day of that Millennium age. But this will happen when all these people will come and worship before our Lord, and claim to be reborn. Though they make the claim, it doesn't mean that they have actually be reborn. Remember what Jesus said of this time, when these five sleeping virgins come and make the claim; "Verily I say unto you, `I know you not.' " [Matthew 25:1-13 parable] This is what the manuscripts state.

Psalms 87:5 "And of Zion it shall be said, "This and that man was born in her: And the HIGHEST Himself shall establish her."

Our Lord Jesus Christ, will make Mount Zion, and Jerusalem the headquarters of this entire earth. Even in that Millennium age they can be reborn in her.

Psalms 87:6 "The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, That this man was born there, Selah."

We see that there are three alternations in this short chapter, yet this will not change the fact that Mount Zion is God's holy mountain, and the place where He shall reside upon His coming at the seventh trump. Even in the Millennium age, God will offer salvation to all peoples on the face of this earth, to those that will do His work and follow His ways. Then all languages can claim their rebirth at that location. It is still through God's Son Jesus Christ that this will take place.

Psalms 87:7 "As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: All springs are in thee."

"A song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth."

All the springs are those fountains of living water that is spoken of is Jesus Christ. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that shall return to this place and establish his eternal kingdom. This is the place where truth met grace, and there is no in-between.

The next chapter is very difficult to understand as it has been translated. Before you can understand, you have to completely understand the word "man", as it is in the original manuscripts. In the Hebrew it is "Geber", and we will go deeper into it as we get there in our studies.