It’s not that it’s unfamiliar to me, but this morning it struck me as unusual. After all, the LORD loves people not places, doesn’t He? His affection is sourced in grace not geography, isn’t it? So how come the LORD loves Zion?

The city He founded is on the holy mountains.
The LORD loves Zion’s city gates
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are said about you,
city of God.
Selah

(Psalm 87:1-3 CSB)

The psalm is about a place. The entire song about a city. This morning I’m chewing a bit on why God is so enraptured with this city on a hill. After all, isn’t the meta-mission of scripture about redemption? Loving on the lost? Why’s this mega-affection on a locality?

Immediate thought? ‘Cause it’s about presence and power. The place of God’s presence and the seat of God’s power. In Zion was the temple, the place where the glory dwelt, the place of God’s earthly presence. In Jerusalem was the throne, the throne of David, the epicenter of a promised kingdom of earth which would be the glorious reflection of the kingdom of heaven. The LORD loves Zion’s city gates as He anticipates that day when all who enter them, all who are born in them, would know the presence of God and the power of His kingdom. Psalm 87 must be looking forward to a future day, the day of the King’s reign.

And as I noodle on it a bit more, while perhaps not as glorious as Zion, YET, there’s another place where God’s presence is found and His power is active. Actually, many places. Every place where God’s people gather as the church, God’s holy temple, God’s seat of power. And the LORD loves the church.

She isn’t what she’s gonna be, but she is the dwelling place of God by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:21-22). She isn’t as glorious as she wants to be, but one day He will present her to Himself “in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that” (Eph. 5:27).

The LORD loves the church.

He loves the people. And, wherever they gather, He loves the place!

For there, in their midst, is found His glory. For there, in their midst, is seen His authority.

The church, such as she is, is an outpost of the kingdom of heaven. A precursor to Zion of the future.

As such, she’s worth singing about.

Singers and dancers alike will say,
“My whole source of joy is in you.”

(Psalm 87:7 CSB)

A work in progress? Certainly. Worthy of praise? Evidently. A place you want to be? Absolutely!

For the LORD loves the place where His glory dwells, His power is apparent, and His people are present.

By His grace. For His glory.