Song (Psalm) 87

Note: This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public. Some things (like capitalisation of ‘him’ referring to Jesus or ‘father’ referring to God) in the RV haven’t been decided yet so we’re still testing both ways.

Note: The Readers’ Version on the left is a translation into contemporary English aimed at the person on the street who hasn’t necessarily been brought up with exposure to Biblical jargon and/or 500-year old English. It’s designed to be used alongside the Literal Version on the right which gives the English reader a window into what’s actually written in the original languages. (See the introduction for more details—we recommend that you read the introduction first if you’re wanting to fully understand the Literal Version.) By comparing the left and right columns, you should be able to easily get the message of the text, while at the same time keeping an eye on what it was actually translated from.

Note that greyed words in the RV are words that the translators consider were most probably in the mind of the writer, but as none of us can double-check with the original speakers or writers, the reader is free to disagree. They are clearly marked because we’ve tried to be as honest and transparent as possible.

The lighter coloured words in the LV are words which aren’t needed in the grammar of the original languages but are required or implied in English. You can read the Key to learn more about them. The underlines joining words in the LV show when one original language word needs to be translated into two or more English words. (Just hide them with the button if you don’t need that information and find it distracting.) Also, the majority of sentences in the LV don’t have the words put into a sensible English order yet. (This should be completed by the end of 2023.)

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

87:1 Praising Tsiyyon (Zion)

In Praise of Jerusalem; The Joy of Living in Zion

A song by Korah’s descendants.

Of the Korahites. A Psalm. A Song.; A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A song.; For the Korahites: a psalm: a song; Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

87 On the sacred hill stands the city he founded.

2 Yahweh loves Tsiyyon’s (Zion’s) gates

more than all of Yakov’s tents.

3 Wonderful things are said about you, city of God. (Instrumental break.)

4 “I mention Rahab and Babylon to my followers.

See, there are Philistia, and Tsor (Tyre), along with Kush—

and will say, ‘This one was born there.’ ”

5 It will be said about Tsiyyon, “Each of those was born in her,

and the highest >one himself will establish her.”

6 Yahweh writes in the census book of the nations,

“That one was born there.” (Instrumental break.)

7 So also the singers and the dancers say together,