520_All my springs are in you
Psalm 87 On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
2 the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God. Selah
4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—
“This one was born there,” they say.
5 And of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her”;
for the Most High himself will establish her.
6 The Lord records as he registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs are in you.”
A few years ago, there was an extraordinary engineering project in a desert region. A team of experts had spent months trying to dig wells in search of water. Technology was at its peak—satellite mapping, drilling equipment, scientific surveys—but well after well came up dry. The villagers, weary from years of scarcity, waited anxiously. Then, one day, an old man from the community suggested a spot no one had considered. He pointed to a patch of ground that looked barren, but he was certain water lay beneath it. Out of respect, the engineers drilled—and to everyone’s amazement, they struck a strong underground spring that gushed with life-giving water. It changed everything. Crops flourished. Families no longer walked miles for drinking water. The spring became the center of the community’s life.
That picture of hidden, abundant water bringing life to a dry and weary land is exactly the image Psalm 87 leaves us with when it says, “All my springs are in you.” It is not only a poetic flourish but a profound truth about God and His city: He alone is the source of life, refreshment, and lasting joy.
Psalm 87 is often called a prophetic psalm, one that draws our eyes beyond the ruins and disappointments of earthly life to something eternal—the city of God, Zion, the dwelling place of the great King. Humanity has always longed for such a city: a place of peace, beauty, and permanence where justice reigns and joy overflows. Empires have risen and fallen, cities have been built and destroyed, but the yearning remains. Psalm 87 tells us there is indeed such a city—not the product of human effort, but the dwelling place of God Himself.
The psalmist begins with these words:
“On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.”
The mountain is holy not because of its geography, but because the Holy God has chosen to place His name there. God’s foundation is in Jerusalem, His city. Since God’s redemptive plan unfolds in real time and space, it needed a location, and He chose Jerusalem as the stage where so much of His work in history would take place.
The psalmist declares, “Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.” And indeed, glorious things have unfolded there. Melchizedek, the mysterious king and priest of God Most High, once reigned there. Abraham, on the mount of the Lord, prepared to offer his son Isaac, only for God to provide a substitute sacrifice. David established his throne there, making it the capital of Israel’s kingdom. Solomon built the temple, where sacrifice, priestly service, and worship were carried out for centuries.
But above all, Jerusalem is glorious because of Jesus. He honored the city, observed its feasts, and taught in its temple courts. He wept over it. And it was there that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. There, too, the church was born at Pentecost when the Spirit descended, filling believers with power to bear witness to the nations. And one day, Scripture tells us, the King of kings and Lord of lords will return and establish His reign there.
For all these reasons, God’s love for Jerusalem is unique, greater even than His love for the other dwelling places of Israel.
Yet Psalm 87 takes an unexpected turn. After celebrating Zion, the psalmist looks beyond its walls to the surrounding nations—Egypt (referred to as Rahab), Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia. These were Israel’s historic enemies and rivals. But God says something remarkable: among these nations, too, there will be those who know Me. The words “This one was born there” are spoken—not by human voices, but by God Himself. He declares it as a promise and an invitation: people from the nations can be counted as citizens of Zion. They can be registered as those who belong to God.
The psalmist repeats it for emphasis: “This one was born there.” The joy and honor of being associated with God’s city is so profound that it becomes a cherished identity. What makes it even more astonishing is that the privilege is not claimed by the person—it is bestowed by God. He registers the names. He declares who belongs. The citizenship of Zion is not earned by human merit or heritage but given by divine grace.
The psalm reaches its climax in verse 7:
“Singers and dancers alike say,
‘All my springs are in you.’”
It’s a picture of joy and celebration, of music and movement flowing from the recognition that all life, all refreshment, all goodness has its source in God. Springs, in the ancient world, were treasured beyond measure. They were clean, abundant sources of water in a dry land, unlike stagnant pools or cisterns that could run empty. To say, “All my springs are in you,” is to affirm that every blessing, every renewal, every source of strength and hope flows from God alone.
This is why other psalms describe Zion as “the joy of all the earth” and “the place where God has made Himself known as a fortress.” The glory of the city is not in its buildings but in its King. Like God Himself, His city is holy, unshakable, and eternal.
But this psalm is not merely about earthly Jerusalem. It points forward to something greater. The New Testament tells us of a heavenly Zion. Hebrews says, “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven.” Paul adds, “The Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.” And John, in Revelation, sees the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, radiant with the glory of God, where His dwelling is forever with His people.
This city, unlike Babylon—the great city of earthly riches and pride that will one day fall—is eternal. Babylon represents human power and arrogance, Zion represents God’s holiness and permanence. And the amazing truth is this: through Christ, anyone can become a citizen of Zion. Paul says in Philippians, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body.”
How do we gain this citizenship? Not by being born in a certain land, but by being born again. Through repentance and faith in Christ, God declares over us, “This one was born there.” Our names are written in His book. Our place in His city is secured.
And so the psalm’s closing declaration becomes personal: “All my springs are in you.” In Christ, we discover the fountain of life. He Himself said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Life apart from Him is like wandering in a desert, searching for water in empty wells. But life in Him is like drinking from a fresh spring that never runs dry.
Here is the practical call: stop digging broken cisterns that cannot hold water. Stop chasing refreshment in places that will always leave you empty—success, possessions, even human approval. Instead, turn to the One who is the true source. Let Him be your spring. Draw daily from His Word, from His Spirit, from His presence. And as you do, let His life flow through you so that you become a spring to others, refreshing those who are weary and thirsty around you. David says “My cup runs over”.
The engineers in the desert discovered that the old man’s word was true—the spring was there all along, hidden but waiting to be tapped. In the same way, God’s Word points us to the true source of life. The spring is not hidden because He wants to keep it from us—it is revealed in Christ, waiting for us to drink deeply.
So let this psalm shape your prayer: Lord, all my springs are in You. Be my source, my joy, my strength, my hope. And may my life overflow with Your living water, bringing refreshment to a thirsty world. God bless.