Established by God (1)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 87.1, 2
His foundation is in the holy mountains.
The LORD loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.

Sing Psalm 87.1, 2
(St. Anne: Our God, Our Help in Ages Past)
Upon the holy mountains rest the footings of the Lord,
Who loves of Israel’s flock the best the keepers of His Word.

Read Psalm 87, meditate on verse 1.

Preparation
1. How was this psalm to be used?

2. What is in the holy mountains?

Meditation
It’s amazing how much you can say in just a few words.

Verse 1 is the psalmists’ way of saying that God is unchangeable and holy. The word, foundation, comes from a verb that means to be set, firmly fixed, and established. The gods of the ancient world were fickle and unpredictable. The best a pagan worshiper could do was try to placate his changeable gods with offerings, rituals, and the slaying of an enemy or two. But there were no guarantees. The pagan gods were like the pagans who worshiped them – flighty, foolish, flimsy, and futile.

The same is true for people today who, having turned away from the knowledge of the true God, make all manner of “gods” to worship – wealth, fun, leisure, sex, highs of various kinds, power (Rom. 1.18-32). None of these can satisfy, and all of them are moving targets for today’s unbelieving fun-seekers.

But God is unchanging. Unshakeable. Immovable. Grounded in holiness and established forever. Because He is holy, He is also good, true, faithful, compassionate, loving, gracious, and attentive. And because He is unchanging, He is powerful and mighty to save. Our God, the sons of Korah declare, is forever fixed and true and strong and reliable and sure.

That’s worth singing about.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Because His foundation is sure, and firm; ours is also assured and solid.

“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…” (Deut. 33.27).
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13.8).
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Is. 40.8).
“…My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not be abolished” (Is. 51.6).
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Lk. 21. 33).

That is truth worth singing about!

And John Rippon, in 1787, gave us an additional way to sing:

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake!

He is Unchanging and Holy.

Reflection
1. Why should we be both comforted and encouraged to know that God is unchanging and sure?

2. How does knowing this enable us to give thanks in everything (1 Thess. 5.18; Rom. 8.28)?

3. How can singing about our unchanging God help us to maintain our joy throughout the day?

Christ himself is the Foundation of the church, which God has laid. Holiness is the strength and firmness of the church. Let us not be ashamed of the church of Christ in its meanest condition, nor of those that belong to it, since such glorious things are spoken of it. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, even Jesus Christ. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Psalm 87.1-3

Closing Prayer: Psalm 87.6, 7
Pray that God will advance His work of gathering His chosen people. Pray for a great awakening to flow from the reviving of God’s people worldwide.

Sing Psalm 87.6, 7
(St. Anne: Our God, Our Help in Ages Past)
The Lord will count and tally all in Jesus born again.
Then let them sing, who on Him call, “We joy in God, Amen!”

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.