Psalm 87

(88.88.88)

A Psalm or song for the sonns of Chorah. It describes the scituation & glorie of the Church typified by Syon; prophetically declareth that all Kingdomes shall be incorporated into that Citty of God, & that all Nations shall there obtaine their New-birth, &c. It serves (among other uses) to informe that God’s Church excludeth no Nation, &c.

1. The Lord hath his Foundations plac’d
Above the heighest mountaines’ crownes;
Yea, Syon’s ports, he more hath grac’t
Than all the rest of Jacob’s Townes:
And glor’ous things are fam’d abrode,
Of thee (O Cittie) lov’d of God.

2. For God accounts as borne in thee,
Egiptians, if they him desire;
Nay, though from Babell sprung they be,
From Chush, Philistia, or from Tyre.
For he hath sayd that all on earth,
In Syon may renew their Birth.

3. The God most high will strengthen her,
And shall record each faithful soul,
As having had first-beeing there:
When he his people doth enrowl,
For there are all that play or sing,
And thence proceeds each blessèd thing.

Thou, O Lord, art no accepter of persons, but every one that feares thee & worketh righteousnes (of what place soever he be or from whom soever he were descended) hath promise of admission into thy Church & to be regestred as a free-borne Citizen of thy spiritual Syon. Make us thanckfull, O God, for this large priveledge; And seeing none are exempted, but such as willfully exclude themselves (seeing also, it is manifest to thee only who they are) let us hope charitably of all men, whilst there is time of grace and repentance; endeavoureng by our prayers, instructions, freindly reproofs, & good examples as much as we are able to bring them, to become the Members of this Corporation; to enjoy a Christian fellowship with us, in Christ Jesu, our Lord. Amen.

88.88.88 (rhyme scheme: ababcc)

Tunes (First Lines): Meadville: Come, let us with our Lord; Melita: Eternal Father, strong to save; St. Catherine: Faith of our fathers; St. Petersburg: Before thy throne, O God; Surrey: Creator Spirit, by whose aid.