Born in Zion
And it will be said of Zion: “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High Himself will establish her.” Psalm 87:5 · Berean Standard Bible
And Zion herself will be known as the city where people of all kinds are born into God's family, and God Himself will make her secure.
The psalmist is now speaking about Zion's future identity. Instead of being defined by conquest or military might, she'll be defined by spiritual birth—by people choosing to belong to God. It's a shift from territorial pride to something deeper: a community of believers.
The psalmist continues, speaking almost prophetically about what Zion becomes.
This is the church, really—not a building or a city, but a gathering of people born into God's kingdom from every background. The 'Most High establishing her' means God Himself guarantees her survival and significance, no matter what happens to the physical city.
It will become customary to say of Zion that both native and foreign-born inhabitants belong to her, and the Most High God Himself guarantees her establishment.
The parallelism 'this one and that one' (zeh ve-zeh) emphasizes multiplicity and universality—individuals from every origin find their true citizenship in Zion. The Most High (Elyon) establishing the city moves beyond Davidic kingship to transcendent divine guarantee. The future tense ('it will be said') suggests eschatological fulfillment beyond the psalm's immediate horizon. This resonates with what James Muilenburg termed the psalm's 'realized eschatology'—speaking of future consummation as though already present.
The psalmist continues as the voice of proclamation, now expanding the scope to include perpetual, corporate affirmation.
This connects to Pauline ecclesiology where the Church becomes the true 'Zion' or 'Jerusalem above' (Galatians 4:26), with membership determined by faith rather than genealogy—a recontextualization fully developed in Hebrews 12:22-24's vision of the heavenly gathering.
3Glorious things are ascribed to you, O city of God.
4“I will mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me— along with Philistia, Tyre, and Cush — when I say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”
5And it will be said of Zion: “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High Himself will establish her.”
6The LORD will record in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion.”
7Singers and pipers will proclaim, “All my springs of joy are in You.”
Read all of Psalm 87 — God counts the peoples and records: this one was born in Zion. A stunning vision of every nation finding its home in God's city.
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