Psalm 87

Psalms · Chapter 87

Psalms 87:2

1His foundation is in the holy mountains.2The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.3Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.4I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.5And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.6The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.7As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
2The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
[is] lovingאֹהֵ֣ב'o-HEVH0157G
to love: lover

אָהֵב (a.hav) : lover 1) to love 1a) (Qal) 1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual 1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom 1a3) human love for or to God 1a4) act of being a friend 1a4a) lover (participle) 1a4b) friend (participle) 1a5) God's love toward man 1a5a) to individual men 1a5b) to people Israel 1a5c) to righteousness 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) lovely (participle) 1b2) loveable (participle) 1c) (Piel) 1c1) friends 1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers) 2) to like Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

Yahwehיְ֭הוָהYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

[the] gates ofשַׁעֲרֵ֣יsha-'a-REIH8179G
gate

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) : gate 1) gate 1a) gate (of entrance) 1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place) 1b1) city, town 1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle) 1d) heaven

Zionצִיּ֑וֹןtzi-YONH6726
Zion

צִיּוֹן (tsiy.yon) Zion = "parched place" another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

more than allמִ֝כֹּ֗לmi-KOLH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

[the] dwelling places ofמִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹתmish-ke-NOTH4908
habitation

מִשְׁכַּן (mish.kan) abode (of God) Aramaic of mish.kan (מִשְׁכָּן "tabernacle" H4908)

Jacobיַעֲקֹֽב׃ya-'a-KOH3290
Jacob

יַעֲקֹב (ya.a.qov) A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently Another name of yis.ra.el (יִשְׂרָאֵל "Israel" H3478) § Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter" …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.