Psalm 87:3

“Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God!”

The city here spoken of, is Zion; of whose praises the whole Scriptures speak. She is represented as “beautiful for situation, and as being the joy of the whole earth, Psalm 48:2.” Even God himself is represented as delighting in her, and as “loving the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, verse 2.” Why she, and the Church which is represented by her, are so high in the estimation of God and man, it will be important to consider.

To bring the subject fully before you, I will show:

I. What glorious things are spoken of her.

Among the many things spoken of her in Scripture, she is particularly commended,

1. As the residence of God.

God chose Zion of old for his habitation, and delighted to make that above all other cities in the universe “the place of his rest, Psalm 132:13-14.” There he abode in that bright symbol of his presence, the Shechinah, “dwelling between the cherubim, Psalm 80:1.” There his people assembled by his appointment to worship him; thence he dispensed his blessings; and thence in due time he sent forth his everlasting Gospel, Isaiah 2:3.

Thus under the Christian dispensation he has honored his Church, dwelling in it; as he has said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

There he reveals his glory, even “all the glory of the godhead, in the face of Jesus Christ.”

There he makes known all the riches of his grace and love.

There he communes with his people who present their supplications before him, “drawing near to them, while they draw near to him;” and giving them answers of peace; not indeed visibly, as by the Urim and Thummim of old, but really, and satisfactorily to their souls.

In a word, though unknown in every other place under Heaven, “He is known in her palaces as a refuge, Psalm 48:3.”

2. As the birth-place of the saints.

This is particularly noticed in the Psalm before us, “Of Zion it shall be said: This and that man is born in her, verse 5, 6.” Under the Jewish dispensation conversions were comparatively few; but under the Christian dispensation they are very numerous; though at present they are only as the drop before the shower. On the day of Pentecost the Spirit was poured out in richer abundance, and thousands were converted in a day; and still, wherever the Gospel is preached in sincerity and truth, there the power of God accompanies the word, and “subdues the souls of men to the obedience of faith.”

Among the heathen, Satan maintains a universal sway; and among those Christians who are not blessed with a faithful ministry, very few are ever rescued from his dominion; but where the cross of Christ is exalted, there will be found “a stir among the dry bones,” and multitudes will be born to God!

May we not ask, Whether this is not confirmed by the experience of many here present! Once you were dead in trespasses and sins, and as destitute of all desire after God, as any people in the world. But, through the preaching of a crucified Savior in this place, your souls have been “turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God.” Here also, when you have been mourning on account of your indwelling corruptions, God has “given you the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, Isaiah 61:3.” so that you can confidently say, “I was born there.” Blessed testimony, that may well endear to you the gates of Zion, and render her more lovely in your eyes than all the palaces in the universe!

3. As an emblem of Heaven itself.

Such it really is; for all who are born in her “have come unto Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, Hebrews 12:22.” Though she is a spiritual edifice, she has her foundations, her walls, her gates; all of which are found also in that heavenly Zion which John saw, even in “that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, and having the glory of God, Revelation 21:10-11; Revelation 21:14; Revelation 21:21.” And both the one city and the other “are of pure gold, Revelation 21:18.”

Each of them too, among the many distinctions which they enjoy above all earthly cities, have a light peculiar to themselves. Of our Zion it is said, “The sun is no more her light by day, neither for brightness does the moon give light unto her; but the Lord is unto her an everlasting light, and her God her glory! Isaiah 60:19.” And thus it is also in the heavenly Zion, “The city has no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God lightens it; and the Lamb is the light thereof, Revelation 21:23.”

It is but one family that is inhabiting both the one city and the other, “even the family of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 3:14-15;” and their employments are altogether the same; for while the one are “rejoicing in the Lord always” here below, Philippians 4:4, the other are incessantly engaged in singing praises to him above, even “to Him, who loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and made them kings and priests unto their God! To him, I say, do they ascribe all glory and dominion forever and ever, Revelation 1:5-6.”

II. The effect which these testimonies should have upon us.

Surely, when the Church is so high in the estimation of God:

1. We should inquire what place the redeemed church holds in our esteem.

Never has she had, at least in a spiritual view, any visible glory. In the days of the prophets, her limits were contracted, and her members poor, despised, persecuted. In the days of Christ and his Apostles, though her limits were enlarged, she, like her Lord himself, had “no beauty nor loveliness for which she was to be desired, Isaiah 53:2.” She has been in a wilderness state even to this present hour, Revelation 12:6, an object of hatred and derision to all that were round about her.

Yet to the eye of faith, the redeemed church is most beautiful, most glorious. In all that pertains to her, she is “the perfection of beauty, Psalm 50:2.”

Her foundations are of the most precious stones, “her walls are salvation, and her gates praise, Isaiah 60:18.” Her laws are all holy, and just, and good.

Her ordinances are a very Heaven upon earth.

Her chosen, redeemed and regenerate members more highly privileged than all other creatures in the universe.

Say then, brethren, whether such are your views of Zion; and whether to be enrolled among her citizens be the highest object of your ambition?

Our blessed Lord told his disciples, that even to have “the devils made subject unto them” was no ground of joy in comparison with this, Luke 10:20; for, if you really belong to Zion, “your names are written in Heaven,” and all the glory and felicity of Heaven are yours! But if you are “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel—then you are strangers from the covenants of promise, without God, without Christ, without hope! Ephesians 2:12.”

2. We should seek to advance the glory of the redeemed church.

God has promised, that, in due season, “the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and that all nations shall flow unto her, Isaiah 2:2.” “Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations—their kings led in triumphal procession. For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined. “The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the pine, the fir and the cypress together, to adorn the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place of my feet. The sons of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel! Isaiah 60:11-14.”

Now then I ask: Should we not long for this glorious period? Should we not exert ourselves to the uttermost to help it forward? Should we not search out the benighted Gentiles, and labor to bring back to their God the dispersed of Israel? Should we not endeavor to bring men from every quarter, “their sons in our arms, and their daughters upon our shoulders, to glorify the house of his glory?”

Men may pretend to love the Church; but their professions must be brought to this test. If we are at all sensible of the benefit of belonging to Zion, we shall neither rest ourselves, “nor give any rest to our God,” until “the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burns, Isaiah 62:1; Isaiah 62:6-7.”

3. We should labor to participate in all the privileges of the redeemed church.

Is God indeed revealed there in all his excellency and glory? Is it the place, the only place, where sinners are born to God? Is it an emblem even of Heaven itself? We should determine then to come to her without delay, and to seek admission into her blissful community. In comparison with being numbered among her children, all that the world can give should be esteemed by us as dung and dross; and we should say with David, “I would rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness! Psalm 84:10.”

As for hatred, contempt, persecution, or even death itself, they should be accounted rather as an honor, and a happiness, and a privilege—than as objects of fear, if they are brought upon us for Zion’s sake. It should be a sufficient recompense to us, that our God is glorified, and that the interests of Zion are advanced, 1 Peter 4:13-14. If we are children of Zion indeed, we shall be joyful under any circumstances; we shall “be joyful, I say, in our King! Psalm 149:2;” as it is written, “They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd; (that is, for all spiritual consolation and support;) and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all! Jeremiah 31:12.” Whether they are priests or people, it shall be thus with them; for, “I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness; and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, says the Lord, Jeremiah 31:14.”

APPLICATION.

Let us then love Zion, and “prefer her before our chief joy, Psalm 137:5-6.” Let her ordinances be our delight, Psalm 84:4; Psalm 84:7. Let us pray for her advancement, saying, “Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within her palaces.” Then shall our own souls most assuredly flourish; for “they shall prosper who love her, Psalm 122:6-7.”

Charles Simeon