Psalms 87:4
in Psalms 87“I will mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me— along with Philistia, Tyre, and Cush— when I say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon as among them that know me: Behold, Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia: This one was born there.
KJV
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.
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This verse in Psalms 87
Commentary
14 notes on this verseI will be mindful of Rahab and Babylon among those who know me. Since he said, Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God, and yet we understand that very city as the Church gathered from the nations: therefore now it is said concerning the calling of the nations, I will be mindful of Rahab and Babylon among those who know me. Whoever is a sinner, let him be secure: the Lord was mindful of Rahab. I said secure, if he returns to the Lord: for otherwise security without tears has no remedy.
This site's exposition
Rahab and Babylon
on Psalms 87:4-6
Rahab is Egypt, the name Isaiah 30:7 gives her, and Babylon, Philistia, Tyre and Cush stand beside her as foreign nations. Each is enrolled as born in Zion. Verse 6 puts that line in writing, where the LORD counts the peoples and records it himself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"Very excellent things are said of thee, thou city of God" (ver. 3). He was, as it were, contemplating that city of Jerusalem on earth: for consider what city he alludes to, of which certain very excellent things are spoken. Now the earthly city has been destroyed: after suffering the enemy's rage, it fell to the earth; it is no longer what it was: it exhibited the emblem, and the shadow hath passed away. Whence then are "very excellent things spoken of thee, thou city of God"? Listen whence: "I will think upon Rahab and Babylon, with them that know Me" (ver. 4). In that city, the Prophet, in the person of God, says, "I will think upon Rahab and Babylon." Rahab belongs not to the Jewish people; Babylon belongs not to the Jewish people; as is clear from the next verse: "For the Philistines also, and Tyre, with the Ethiopians, were there." Deservedly then, "very excellent things are spoken of thee, thou city of God:" for not only is the Jewish nation, born of the flesh of Abraham, included therein, but all nations also, some of which are named that all may be understood. "I will think," he says, "upon Rahab:" who is that harlot? That harlot in Jericho, who received the spies and conducted them out of the city by a different road: who trusted beforehand in the promise, who feared God, who was told to hang out of the window a line of scarlet thread, that is, to bear upon her forehead the sign of the blood of Christ. She was saved there, and thus represented the Church of the Gentiles: whence our Lord said to the haughty Pharisees, "Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you." They go before, because they do violence: they push their way by faith, and to faith a way is made, nor can any resist, since they who are violent take it by force. […]
We ought to know that what we have interpreted of the Church can be understood also of our soul. For if Zion is interpreted as a watchtower, and our soul in no other way but always considers higher things: the true church, the true temple of Christ is nothing other than the human soul. The Church of Christ is nothing else but the souls of those who believe in Christ. 'You,' he says, 'are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you.' Its foundations are in the holy mountains: that is, the foundations of God are nowhere but in the holy mountains, in the doctrines of the believing soul. The Lord loves the gates of Zion. Our Zion has very many gates: which, if we open them, the bridegroom enters in to us, and sleeps with us. Then he himself says: 'Behold, I stand before the door and knock: if anyone opens to me, I will enter and dine with him.' Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. A city is not one building, but consists of many buildings: so the Church and our Zion, unless it has many virtues, will not be the city of God. I will be mindful of Rahab and Babylon among those who know me. She who once was in the breadth of sins, afterward ascended into the remembrance of God. Will a man say to Zion, and a man is born in her? I speak to you a wondrous thing, but a true one. Our Zion, in which at times there are foreigners, and Tyre, and the Ethiopian: that watchtower, that harlot, that Rahab, that Babylon, she who spread apart her feet to everyone passing by, according to Ezekiel: that harlot, if she wills, suddenly becomes a virgin. She becomes a virgin, and conceives the Son of God, and gives birth. 'From the fear of you, O Lord, we conceived and were in labor; we brought forth the spirit of your salvation upon the earth.' See, then, that the harlot conceives from God and gives birth, and brings forth the Savior. […]
Pass now, pray, to the others who were saved by repentance. Perhaps even among the women someone will say, "I have committed fornication and adultery. I have defiled my body with every excess. Can there be salvation for me?" Fix your eyes, woman, on Rahab, and look for salvation for yourself too. For if she who openly and publicly practiced fornication was saved through repentance, will not she whose fornication preceded the gift of grace be saved by repentance and fasting? For observe how she was saved. She said only this: "Since the Lord, your God, is God in heaven above and on earth below." "Your God," she said, for she did not dare call him her God, because of her wantonness. If you want scriptural testimony of her salvation, you have it recorded in the Psalms: "I will think of Rahab and Babylon among those who know me." O the great loving-kindness of God, which is mindful even of harlots in Scripture. He did not say merely, "I shall think of Rahab and Babylon," but added, "among those who know me." The salvation procured by repentance is open to men and women alike.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
God says, " I will reckon Egypt and Babylon with those that know me. I will reckon them my people as much as Israel when they shall receive the gospel of Christ, and own them as born in Zion, born again there, and admitted to the privileges of Zion as freely as a true-born Israelite." Those that were strangers and foreigners became fellow-citizens with the saints, Eph. ii.
17 , "This is Zion whom no man seeketh after"), yet God had done great things for her, and spoken glorious things of her, which should all have their perfection and accomplishment in the gospel-church; to that therefore we must have an eye in singing this psalm. A psalm or song for the sons of Korah. 1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Babylon - Under these two and Philistia, the constant enemies of Israel, he seems to understand all the enemies of the church of God, who shall now be not only reconciled but united to them. Arabia - The nations on every side of them, for Tyre was on the north, Arabia on the South; those nearest to them, and those more remote from them.
I will make mention of Rahab,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me. This shall be a glorious subject to speak of concerning Zion, that her old foes are new born and have become her friends, worshipping in the temple of her God. Rahab or Egypt which oppressed Israel shall become a sister nation, and Babylon in which the tribes endured their second great captivity, shall become a fellow worshipper; then shall there be mention made in familiar talk of the old enmities forgotten and the new friendships formed.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
This is what is spoken by God. to them . . . me--literally, "for My knowers," they are true worshippers (Ps 36:10; These are mentioned as specimens. this--that is, nation was born there--Of each it is said, "This was born," or is a native of Zion, spiritually.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me. This shall be a glorious subject to speak of concerning Zion, that her old foes are new born and have become her friends, worshipping in the temple of her God. Rahab or Egypt which oppressed Israel shall become a sister nation, and Babylon in which the tribes endured their second great captivity, shall become a fellow worshipper; then shall there be mention made in familiar talk of the old enmities forgotten and the new friendships formed. Some consider that these are the words of God himself, and should be rendered "I will mention Rahab and Babylon as knowing me": but we feel content with our common version, and attribute the words to the Psalmist himself, who anticipates the conversion of the two great rival nations and speaks of it with exultation. Behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia. These also are to bow before the Lord. Philistia shall renounce her ancient hate, Tyre shall not be swallowed up by thoughts of her commerce, and distant Ethiopia shall not be too far off to receive the salvation of the Lord. This man was born there. The word man is inserted by the translators to the marring of the sense, which is clear enough when the superfluous word is dropped, —"Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this was born there"—i.e., this nation has been born into Zion, regenerated into the church of God. Of the new births of nations we will make mention, for it is at once a great blessing and a great wonder. It is a glorious thing indeed when whole nations are born unto God. Many understand the sense of these verses to be that all men are proud of their native country, and so also is the citizen of Zion, so that while of one it is said, "he was born in Egypt" and of another, "he came from Ethiopia", it would be equally to the honour of others that they were home born sons of the city of God.
I will make mention of Rahab - The meaning seems to be, Rahab, i.e., Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Philistia, and Ethiopia are not so honorable as Jerusalem. To be born in any of them is no privilege when compared with being a native of Jerusalem: their cities are but heads of villages; Jerusalem alone is a City. I have met with a very similar sentiment in a Persian work, of which I know not the author: Tche Mesr, o tche Sham, o tche Birr o Buhr. Heme rustaee and, we Sheerazee Shuhr. What celebrity can Egypt or Syria, or any thingon earth or on the sea, pretend to? “When compared to Sheeraz, those are but villages, but this alone is a City.” The meaning seems to be the same in both the Hebrew and Persian poet.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon ... - The word Rahab here refers to Egypt. See Isa 51:9. It is also applied to Egypt in Psa 89:10. The reason why the name was given to Egypt is not certainly known. The Hebrew word properly means fierceness, insolence, pride; and it may have been given to Egypt by the Hebrews on account of its haughtiness, pride, and insolence. It has been supposed by some (Jablonski, Opusc. i. 228) that the name is of Egyptian origin, but this has not been clearly made out. (Gesenius, Lexicon) Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia, are mentioned here as among the best known nations and cities of the world; as places where it would commonly be regarded as an honor to have been born. The meaning is, “I will refer to these as places well-known and distinguished; I will refer to the honor of having been born there; but great as is such an honor, the honor of having been born in Zion is far above that; it conveys the idea of a much higher distinction; it should be more sacredly cherished as among those things on which men value themselves.” The word “I” here seems to have reference to the psalmist, and not to God. The psalmist is mentioning what to him would seem to have a claim to the highest honor. Philistia - The western portion of Palestine, from which the whole country was afterward named. See the notes at Psa 60:8; compare Psa 108:9; Isa 14:29, Isa 14:31. “And Tyre.” See Psa 45:12, note; Isa 23:1, note. With Ethiopia - Hebrew, Cush. The reference here is probably to the southern portion of Arabia. See Psa 68:31, note; Isa 18:1, note. This man was born there - That is, It would be said of individuals that they were born in one of those places, and it would be regarded as an honor thus to have been born. People would pride themselves on the fact that they were born there, and the world would hold them in esteem on that account. […]
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Glorious things are said about you You, Jerusalemwords of glory were spoken about you from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He. Now what are the words of glory? That you are the city of God forever.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And to Zion it will be said, “Man after man was born in her” And when they bring them as a tribute to the Lord, it will be said to Zion concerning each one, “This is [one] of those who were exiled from you,” or “from their generations.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַזְכִּ֤יר׀ | ʾazkir | I will bring to remembrance | H2142 → | 230 times |
| רַ֥הַב | rahav | Rahab | H7293 → | |
| וּבָבֶ֗ל | uvavel | and Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| לְֽיֹ֫דְעָ֥י | leyodeai | to [those who] know me | H3045 → | 945 times |
| הִנֵּ֤ה | hineh | there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| פְלֶ֣שֶׁת | feleshet | Philistia | H6429 → | 8 times |
| וְצ֣וֹר | vetzor | and Tyre | H6865 → | 42 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| כּ֑וּשׁ | kush | Cush | H3568 → | |
| זֶ֝֗ה | zeh | this one | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| יֻלַּד־ | yulad- | it was born | H3205 → | 496 times |
| שָֽׁם׃ | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
אַזְכִּ֤יר׀I will bring to remembrance
ʾazkirH2142 →230 times
רַ֥הַבRahab
rahavH7293 →
וּבָבֶ֗לand Babylon
uvavelH894 →262 times
לְֽיֹ֫דְעָ֥יto [those who] know me
leyodeaiH3045 →945 times
הִנֵּ֤הthere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
פְלֶ֣שֶׁתPhilistia
feleshetH6429 →8 times
וְצ֣וֹרand Tyre
vetzorH6865 →42 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
כּ֑וּשׁCush
kushH3568 →
זֶ֝֗הthis one
zehH2088 →1180 times
יֻלַּד־it was born
yulad-H3205 →496 times
שָֽׁם׃there
shamH8033 →834 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 45:12The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; men of wealth will seek your favor.
it leads to
- Psalms 22:29
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him— even those unable to preserve their lives.
- Isaiah 60:3
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
- Psalms 22:29
Through
Psalms 68:31Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.
it leads to
- Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge…
- Zephaniah 3:10
From beyond the rivers of Cush My worshipers, My scattered people, will bring Me an offering.
- Isaiah 45:14
Through
Job 9:13God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
it leads to
- Job 26:12
By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab.
- Psalms 89:10
You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
- Isaiah 51:9
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the…
- Isaiah 30:7
Egypt’s help is futile and empty; therefore I have called her Rahab Who Sits Still.
- Job 26:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
Who and where
5 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonConquestRahabThe harlot of Jericho who hid the spies, hung the scarlet cord in her window, and was saved with her house — a Canaanite grafted i…
- PlaceBabil Governorate (archaeological site)BabylonAncient Mesopotamian city and imperial capital; site of the Israelite exile and a recurring biblical symbol of worldly power.
- PlaceCoastal plain, southwest CanaanPhilistiaThe coastal plain of the five Philistine cities, Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath, judged in Zephaniah 2 and Amos 1.
- PlaceJerusalemZionThe eastern ridge David took from the Jebusites and made his stronghold, the name the Psalms and the prophets give the city the LO…
- PlacePhoenician coastTyrePhoenician island-fortress and merchant power, judged in Amos 1:9-10 and at length in Ezekiel 26-28.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 87; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 2:9; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Homily 18, on Psalm 86; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.