I hope we all know that we don’t have to go to Zion, the mountain on which Jerusalem stands, anymore. For no matter how interesting the site of the Old Testament Temple of God may be, the oldest buildings in modern Jerusalem date back only to the Middle Ages. In fact, when they destroyed the city around 70 A.D., the Romans did such a good job of leaving not one stone upon another that the famous Wailing Wall, the place where many modern Jews go to worship, is only a retaining wall that holds up the Temple Mount.

So, what can we possibly learn from these few verses sung in praise of Zion? Well, we know that the Old Testament Temple pointed in many different ways to Christ: the altar pointed to His sacrifice, the table of showbread to His provision, the lampstand to His guidance. And we know that as Jesus died, the veil that separated God from His people was torn in two – not only allowing us to enter the presence of the Father whenever we pray, but also releasing the Holy Spirit to live within and among God’s people.

And that means that the modern Temple of the Lord is actually the Church, made up as it is of the living stones of all those who trust the Lord Jesus, all those throughout space and time who offer up the spiritual sacrifices of worship and praise to Him (I Peter 2:5). But given that we know all this, these few verses raise an urgent question: are we just as enthusiastic about being in the presence of God’s people today as the sons of Korah were to go to Zion long ago?

Do we think that belonging to the Church is more prestigious than being a citizen of even the most wealthy or powerful nation (verse 4)? Do we consider it an honor and a privilege to have been born into the family of faith (verse 5)? Can we honestly say that our highest joy rests in the fellowship of the saints (verse 7)?

All these things should be true for us, for as verse 2 says, the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than any other place that His people dwell. That means God’s love is poured out on us in a special way when all the living stones of the Temple of the Lord are assembled, when we gather to worship Him and to sing His praise. So, this Lord’s Day, let’s not disappoint Him. Let’s come together, taking the same sort of delight in His Temple that the Lord does. And all week long, let’s speak glorious things of our brothers and sisters in Christ, the true city of God (verse 3).

Psalm 87 (NASB)

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.
His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah.
4 “I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me; Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia: ‘This one was born there.'”
5 But of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”; And the Most High Himself will establish her.
6 The LORD shall count when He registers the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah.
7 Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say, “All my springs of joy are in you.”