|
1.
|
His foundations (yesudah) is in the holy
mountains. Isaiah 28:16, about the great altar of burnt-offering (see H.A.
Whittaker, Bible Studies, pp. 111-116), has the same Hebrew root. The
dual references to Selah in this psalm (vv. 3,6) confirm such an
identification.
|
2.
|
The gates of Zion emphasize the temple rather more than
the city.
|
|
The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the
dwellings of Jacob. Here “Jacob” distinguishes the separatist
northern tribes. There is also probable allusion to the massive Assyrian
destruction of cities throughout the Land — in all, “forty and six
fenced cities”.
|
|
Dwellings is the Hebrew mishkanim, the
word used for the Tabernacle in the wilderness. As Korah put his rebellion on
its course by setting up a rival tabernacle of worship, so also the northern
kingdom had set up its “pseudo-sanctuaries”! These dwellings
were the “high places” often referred to in Bible history.
Contrast the “holy mountains” (plural: denoting either the
several mountains of Jerusalem, or the one great mountain of Zion) of v.
1; note the scornfully dismissive force of “all the dwellings of
Jacob”.
|
3.
|
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. And
plenty of those were spoken by Hezekiah’s contemporary, Isaiah: 2:2-4;
12:6; 24:23; 35:10; 49:14-16; 51:3,11,16; 52:1,2,9; 54:1,2; 59:20, 21; 62:6,7;
65:18,19; etc.
|
4.
|
I will make mention. This Hebrew word is nearly always
used in association with Yahweh/Jehovah, the Covenant Name of God,
His Memorial (v. 6). Here, then, it may be better to read: I will bring to
remembrance (i.e., the Name of Yahweh), O Rahab (Egypt) and
Babylon. These two were the outstanding rivals of Assyria, whose army was
destroyed so sensationally outside Jerusalem. So this verse may be linked with 2
Chron. 32:23 and Isa. 39 — in fulfillment of Psa. 86:9 — as those
nations now give (at least nominal) allegiance to the God of Israel and Hezekiah
(cp. Psa. 68:31 also). In Sennacherib’s campaign Philistia and Tyre had
been compelled to give support to the Assyrian campaign (Taylor prism). Now they
too, apparently, give glory to the God of Israel. (Surely it is significant, in
this context, that Assyria is not mentioned.)
|
|
This man was born there. Is there any special virtue
about birth in Jerusalem? Consider, over the centuries, how many villains first
saw the light of day there. But if this is read as meaning new-born there,
then all is clear: Hezekiah, as good as dead, was given a new lease of life
there, an experience which contributes much towards making him one of the finest
types of Christ in the Old Testament (see Psa. 80, Par. 4). No wonder this
psalmist (Hezekiah himself?) mentions this new “birth” three
times (vv. 4,5,6). And, furthermore, through the reformation of this fine
king many an apostate man of Israel came to a new spiritual life
there.
|
5.
|
And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in
her. Or, as the LXX reads: “A man shall say, Zion is my
mother”. Paul corroborates this with his allusion to this verse in
Gal. 4:26:
|
|
“But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is
the mother of us all” (cp. also Isa. 54:1-3,13;
66:7,8,13).
|
|
The apostle Paul was both “free born” naturally
— as a citizen of Rome (Acts 22:27,28), and “free born”
spiritually —as a citizen of Zion! (A city and a woman are interchangeable
also in Rev. 21:2,9,10 — where John looks for a “bride” and
sees instead a city!)
|
|
The Highest (Elyon) himself shall establish her
— i.e., for ever! Zion is the true “eternal city” (Psa.
48:8; 125:1,2)! This verb echoes the name of one of the great brazen pillars in
the temple: Jachin. It is also a key word in the great promise made to
David:
|
|
“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep
with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of
thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom... And thine house and thy
kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be
established for ever” (2 Sam. 7:12,16).
|
|
The divine name here — Elyon — often
comes in a Gentile context. It was used also by Melchizedek, the king-priest in
Salem, or Jerusalem, who blessed Abram after his return from the slaughter of
kings who came from Assyria/Babylon (Gen. 14:18-20).
|
6.
|
The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people.
“The Lord records, as he registers the people...” (RSV). An
inspired history of this period was written by Isaiah (2 Chron.
26:22).
|
7.
|
As well the singers as the players on instruments (or
dancers: RSV). Compare the songs of Hezekiah: Isa. 38:20 (“my
songs”).
|
|
All my springs are in thee. That is, “my most
important spring is IN thee.” Up to the moment of angelic
judgment upon Sennacherib’s army, Jerusalem had to rely on the channel of
water brought into the city through Hezekiah’s conduit (2 Kings 20:20).
So, quite literally, the water of this spring was in Zion! It was fitting
therefore that there be special reference to this in the celebration of
deliverance; hence also Isa. 12:3-6 (in v. 3 there, “wells” is s.w.
as “springs” here) and Psa. 46:4 (“city of God”, as in
v. 3 here). “The waters of Zion flow through my heart” (N.P.
Holt).
|
|
1.
|
His (Yahweh’s) foundation, in the building
of His spiritual temple, is Jesus:
|
|
“The stone which the builders refused is become the head
stone of the corner” (Psa. 118:22; cp. Isa. 28:16 in Par. 2; Matt. 21:42 /
Mark 12:10 / Luke 20:17; 1 Pet. 2:6-8; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20-22).
|
2.
|
The Lord loveth the gates of Zion. Compare Rev.
21:10-14, with its wall, and its gates, and its foundations (with the
apostles’ names, as in v. 6 here).
|
|
Jacob here (instead of “Israel”) hints
again at the unregenerate part of the nation.
|
3.
|
Selah (as in v. 6) has special emphasis on sacrifice of
thanksgiving at God’s altar and re-consecration to His service (Psalms
Studies, Book #1, Introduction). On the third day — the day of his
resurrection — it is probable that Jesus also ascended to heaven,
displaying in the presence of his Father the tokens of his perfect sacrifice
(see John 20:17, and note the present tense: “I
ascend”).
|
4.
|
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know
me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia. Here are Gentile nations
being brought to understand the Covenant Name of God (see note in Par.
2):
|
|
“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning ...
Jerusalem. And 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. And
many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the
Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we
will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word
of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:1-3).
|
|
“Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they
shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces
(wealth, mg.) of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought”
(60:11).
|
|
This man was born there. Where else but in Zion could
God’s gift of immortality be bestowed? To associate this ultimate blessing
of God with Sinai is both un-Biblical and unseemly; surely John Thomas
(Eureka, vol. 2, p. 553) is mistaken on this point. See the discussion on
the judgment seat of Christ in Psalms Studies, Psa 68, Par. 8. Also,
additionally, see Psa. 102:18-22; Isa. 4:3; 40:9; 51:16; and Matt. 27:53 (a
foreshadowing).
|
|
The prophet Joel spoke of the deliverance to be
found in Zion and Jerusalem, for all who call upon (or call themselves by?) the
name of the Lord (Joel 2:32, cited in Acts 2:16-21). It is surely appropriate
that some of those who heard and responded to the preaching of Peter on that day
had come from Egypt (v. 10 there; v. 4 here).
|
5.
|
This (man) and that man was born in her. This
great salvation is an individual matter and not to be earned or received by
virtue of descent or nation or even by belonging to the right religious
community.
|
6.
|
The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that
this man was born there. This is just as in Isa. 4:3 and 44:5:
|
|
“One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall
call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand
unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of the Lord” (contrast Jer.
17:13 and Ezek. 13:9).
|
|
God’s “book of remembrance”, or “book
of life”, is alluded to in Psa. 69:28; 139:16; Mal. 3:16; Exod. 32:32;
Dan. 12:1; Phil. 4:3; Luke 10:20; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 21:27; and
22:19.
|
7.
|
All my springs (fountains: RV) are in thee.
Springs or fountains produce “living”, or flowing, waters
— which symbolize the Word of Life (Isa. 12:3; 55:1,2). Only Jesus can
provide the water of eternal life, such that — if a man drink thereof
— he will never thirst again (John 4:14; 7:37,38; Rev. 21:6; 22:1,17). Out
of the side of Christ the smitten Rock there flowed out water (Exod. 17:6,7;
John 19:34; 1 Cor. 10:3,4), which became at last a fountain for the purifying of
all uncleanness (Zech. 13:1; cp. with 14:8). “For with thee [and with thee
only!] is the fountain of life” (Psa. 36:9).
|
|
2.
|
The gates of Zion. It was through these gates that the
ark entered the Holy City (Psa. 24:7-10), and through the same gates that Christ
himself will enter (Luke 21:28)!
|
|
The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the
dwellings of Jacob (Psa. 132:13,14; cp. 2:6). That is, more than all the
earlier dwelling places of His ark: i.e., Shiloh (78:60; 1 Sam. 1:3),
Bethshemesh (1 Sam. 6:13), Kirjath-jearim (7:1), Gibeah (2 Sam. 6:3,4), and the
house of Obed-edom (6:10-12).
|
4.
|
Rahab signifies “braggart” or
“insolent one”. It is a code name for Egypt (Psa. 89:10; Isa. 30:7;
51:9).
|
6.
|
Only God can count those who are (spiritually
and eternally) born in Zion, for they are a multitude which no man
could number (Rev. 7:9)!
|
7.
|
RSV: Singers and dancers alike say, “All my springs
are in you.” Zion and “players on instruments” (harps) and
singers are all found together in Rev. 14:1-3:
|
|
“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion,
and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name
written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of
many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of
harpers harping with their harps: And they sang as it were a new song before the
throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that
song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the
earth” (cp. Psa. 68:24,25; Heb. 12:22,23).
|
|
“The harp is an instrument used in giving thanks, in
rejoicing, and in praising. To ‘hang the harp upon the willows’,
indicates great tribulation and distress... The absence of music shows that all
joy has departed from a people; while its presence indicates the reverse. A
harper harping with his harp is a saint, who has been judged according to what
is written, and rewarded according to his works, and thereby admitted into the
glorious company of the redeemed. The first thing he does when he finds himself
on the mount of Yahweh’s holiness, is not to celebrate battles to be
fought, and victories to be won; but to show forth the praises, the worthiness,
and loving kindness of him, who called him out from among the worshipers of the
beast, and placed him within ‘the Circle of the Throne’ ”
(Eureka, vol. 3, p. 388).
|