Dear Friends,

I hope you can join us tonight for Bible study. It will be a little "different" than normal. The theme is "Zion - in Scripture and in Song." and the initial Scripture is Psalm 87. Notes are attached.

WAYNE BARRETT

FEBRUARY 4, 2025

Zion:

in Scripture and in Song

PSALM 87

A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. A Song.

On the holy mount stands the city he founded;

2 the LORD loves the gates of Zion

more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.

3 Glorious things of you are spoken,

O city of God. Selah

4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab

and Babylon;

behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—

“This one was born there,” they say.

5 And of Zion it shall be said,

“This one and that one were born in her”;

for the Most High himself will establish her.

6 The LORD records as he registers the peoples,

“This one was born there.” Selah

7 Singers and dancers alike say,

“All my springs are in you.”

______________

“Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”

John Newton

from Olney Hymns, 1779

Zion, or the city of God

Chap. 33:27, 28

Glorious things of thee are spoken,a

Zion, city of our God!

He, whose word cannot be broken,

Form’d thee for his own abode:b

On the rock of ages founded,c

What can shake thy sure repose?

With salvation’s walls surroundedd

Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

a Ps. 87:3

b Ps. 132:14

c Matt. 16:16

d Is. 26:1

See! the streams of living waters

Springing from eternal love;e

Well supply thy sons and daughters,

And all fear of want remove:

Who can faint while such a river

Ever flows their thirst t’ assuage?

Grace, which like the LORD, the giver,

Never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hov’ring

See the cloud and fire appear!f

For a glory and a cov’ring,

Showing that the LORD is near:

Thus deriving from their banner

Light by night and shade by day;

Safe they feed upon the Manna

Which he gives them when they pray.

Blest inhabitants of Zion,

Washed in the Redeemer’s blood!

Jesus, whom their souls rely on,

Makes them kings and priests to GOD:g

’Tis his love his people raises

Over self to reign as kings

And as priests, his solemn praises

Each for a thank–off’ring brings.

Savior, if of Zion’s city

I thro’ grace a member am;

Let the world deride or pity,

I will glory in thy name:

Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,

All his boasted pomp and show;

Solid joys and lasting treasure,

None but Zion’s children know.

e Ps. 46:4

f Is. 4:5, 6

g Rev.1:6

2

“O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling”

Mary Ann Thomson, 1871

1. O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling,

to tell to all the world that God is Light;

that He who made all nations is not willing

one soul should perish, lost in shades of night.

Refrain:

Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace;

tidings of Jesus, redemption, and release.

“We’re Marching to Zion”

Robert Lowry, 1867 (refrain)

Isaac Watts, 1707

1. Come, we that love the Lord,

And let our joys be known;

Join in a song with sweet accord,

And thus surround the throne.

Refrain:

We're marching to Zion,

Beautiful, beautiful Zion;

We're marching upward to Zion,

The beautiful city of God.

_________________________

ZION

In the Old Testament (over 150 references)

Zion, Jerusalem, The City of David – representing much more than a locality.

Jerusalem, Zion, represented the heart of Jewish life, where the very presence of the Lord was

manifested in his temple.

It was the City of God, established by him, indwelled by him, protected by him—a source of

blessing to God’s people, and a projection of God’s presence and power to the nations.

In the New Testament, i.e. under the New Covenant

Zion appears in Old Testament passages that are fulfilled by Jesus

“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted

on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”— Matthew 21:5, citing

Zechariah 9:9

“Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!”—

John 12:15, also citing Zechariah 9:9

“As it is written, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’”—Romans 9:33, referencing

Isaiah 28:16; also 1 Peter 2:6

“And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from

Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.’”—Romans 11:26, citing Isaiah 59:20

It represents the heavenly Jerusalem

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly

Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering.”—Hebrews 12:22

In Christian hymnody (and in Scripture)

Zion may represent the City of God outright

It may also be used to address the people of God—the Church—the inhabitants of the city (we

do the same thing, associating cities and their residents).

3

“Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”

Scripture Referenced in Footnotes

a. Glorious things of you are spoken,

O city of God. Selah

—Ps. 87:3

b. This is my resting place forever;

here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

—Ps. 132:14

c. Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

—Matt. 16:16

d. In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

“We have a strong city;

he sets up salvation

as walls and bulwarks.

—Is. 26:1

e. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

—Ps. 46:4

f. Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day,

and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There

will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

—Is. 4:5, 6

g. and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

Amen.

—Rev. 1:6