Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 87:1

1 HIs foundation is in the holy mountains .

Whose Foundation? Either 1. The foundation (i. e.) the argument or matter of this Psalm or Song. So these words are thought to be a part of the Title, the words lying thus in the Hebrew Text, For the sons of Korah a Psalm or Song whose foundation is in the holy mountains. But 1. The Hebrew word rendred foundation is no where used in that sence. 2. There is no example of any such like Title in the Book of the Psalms. Or rather 2. Of the City or Temple of God. of which he speaks in the following Verses. And whereas the beginning is somewhat abrupt, which seems to be the onely ground of the foregoing Exposition, that is no unusual thing in Scripture, and the Pronoun Relative, such as this is, is oft put without any foregoing Antecedent, and the Antecedent is to be fetched out of the following Words or Verses: As Numb. 24. 17. I shall see him, or it, to wit, the star, which follows afterward; Psal. 105. 19. his word (i. e.) the Lords. Prov. 7. 8. to her house, (i. e.) the harlot's, mentioned Verse 10. And especially Cant. 1. 2. let him kiss, to wit, my beloved, who is there understood, but not expressed, till Verse 14. And the ground of that abrupt and imperfect speech there seems to be the same with this here: for as the Church was there in deep meditation, and a great passion about her beloved, which caused that abruptness of speech, which is usual in such cases, so the Psalmists thoughts were strongly fixed upon the Temple and City of God; and therefore this Relative his had a certain Antecedent in his thoughts, though not in his words. The word foundations may possibly be emphatical, because this Psalm might probably be composed when the foundations of the second Temple were newly laid, and the old men who had seen the Glory of the former House were dejected at the sight of this, of which see Ezra 3. 11, 12. And so the meaning of this passage may be this, Be not discouraged, oh ye Jews, that your Temple is not yet erected and built, but onely the foundations of it laid, and those too are mean and obscure in comparison of the Magnificence of your former Temple, but take comfort in this, that your Temple hath its foundations laid, and those sure and firm, sure in themselves, because they are not laid in the sand, nor in hoggy or fenny grounds, but in the mountains; and sure by divine establishment, because those mountains are holy, consecrated to God, and therefore maintained and established by him. Or, he may use this word foundations in opposition to the Tabernacle, which was moveable, and without foundations, to note the stability and perpetuity of this Building.

Or, among, or within the holy mountains, to wit, in Ierusalem, which was encompassed with mountains, Psal. 125. 2. and in which were two famous mountains, to wit, Zion and Moriah. Or the plural number is here put for the singular, whereof we have seen examples formerly, and mountains are put for the mountain; either for the Mount Moriah, upon which the Temple stood: or for Mount Zion, which is mentioned in the next Verse; which is often taken in a large and comprehensive sence, so as to include Moriah; in which sence the Temple is said to be in Zion, Psal. 74. 2. and 76. 2. Isa. 8. 18.

Marginal references: Psal. 48. [illegible: 1 word]