Ps. 87.4 (born again for the first time)

I will declare / that Rahab and Babylon are among / those who know me
even of Philistia, Tyre and Cush too.
I will declare / “This one / was born there!” 

This verse is truly remarkable, and for many reasons. The most obvious is the unity that is envisioned. This, in and of itself, is not unique. There are many other psalms that see the nations gathered around Yhwh, a vision of the ‘kingdom of God’. However, what those lack is the specificity found in these verses. Here, the startling and almost unfathomable reality of unity is deepened and made visceral when Babylon and Egypt and joined together. With the addition of the ‘minor nations’ of Philistia, Tyre and Cush, we are witnessing two things. First, the most terrifying powers (Babylon and Egypt) are now entirely, not only pacified, but incorporated into Israel’s relationship with God. Second, this ‘incorporation’ is by way of the truly significant ‘knowledge’ of Yhwh (“those who know me”). This is, next to ‘seeing the Face’, one of the most significant modes of relationship with Yhwh. It signals the intimate familiarity of a man for a woman, that ‘knowledge’ that springs forth from covenantal devotion. It is, in other words, usually seen as something that is Israel’s, Yhwh’s ‘bride’s’ unique prize. 

From bride to mother. This reality, however, is moved into a different ‘key’ in this verse. Whereas Israel is often seen as Yhwh’s ‘bride’ and, as such, is the object of his special devotion, Zion is now seen not as bride but as ‘mother’. This is an important shift in imagery, especially in light of the above incorporation of the nations into the ‘knowledge’ of God.  Here is why: God declares two things in this verse—1) the nations will ‘know me’; and 2) they will be ‘born in Zion’. This is key. These two realities are synonymous. You don’t ‘know Yhwh’ without being ‘born in Zion’. That ‘knowledge’ that was so often seen as exemplified in the marital relationship between Yhwh and Israel (as in Hosea) is now transferred into the familial, ‘being born’ from mother-Zion. This shift moves from Israel as recipient to Zion as fruitful. Whereas the wife-knowledge originated from Yhwh’s choosing, the mother-knowledge now incorporates Zion herself into the process; it now ‘flows forth’ from her. It is because of this shift that the nations can now be brought into relationship with Yhwh. We can propose the following: just as in any marital relationship, so too does Yhwh first marry Israel and then, through that marriage, does she become fruitful and the ‘mother of all the living’. This progression can be seen in this psalm. Verse 2 says Yhwh ‘loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob’. His love of Zion is the embodiment of his spousal love of Israel. This love, in verse 2, is entirely contained in Israel. Yhwh ‘pours himself’ into her (Zion). Yet, this love now ‘flows forth’, making Zion ‘fruitful’. She has, in a sense, become impregnated with Yhwh’s love of her such that she now becomes the ‘new Eve’ as ‘mother of all the living’. 

We need, however, at this point to highlight the fact that Zion’s role in this verse is limited to these particular nations. The reason, as we indicated above, is to show how truly powerful and efficacious is Yhwh’s love for her. We need to back up and recall what we said in the opening reflection to this psalm—that when Yhwh chooses and elects a people/person, that decision establishes that person/people as the source of Yhwh’s blessing. Yhwh is not bound by history. We typically think that the ‘source of blessing’ must come ‘first’, historically. Rather, Yhwh can act within time, as the lord of time, and establish the source of blessing later (as he does with Zion and Israel). This reality is now dramatically portrayed: Babylon, Rahab, Tyre, Cush and Sidon are now regarded as truly born. They have in a sense been born again for the first time, through Zion. Yhwh’ s love of her makes a new and more powerful creation than what came before. These terrible and tremendous enemies of Israel are, through Yhwh’s love of Zion and through her fruitfulness, made into ‘sons of God’. 

The world will be born through Yhwh’s love of a woman and her faithful/fruitful response to him…