Mazmur 87:5-6

87:5 But it is said of Zion’s residents, ¹ 

“Each one of these ²  was born in her,

and the sovereign One ³  makes her secure.” ⁴ 

87:6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations, ⁵ 

“This one was born there.” ⁶  (Selah)

[87:5]  ¹ tn Heb “and of Zion it is said.” Another option is to translate, “and to Zion it is said.” In collocation with the Niphal of אָמַר (’amar), the preposition lamed (-לְ) can introduce the recipient of the statement (see Josh 2:2; Jer 4:11; Hos 1:10; Zeph 3:16), carry the nuance “concerning, of” (see Num 23:23), or mean “be named” (see Isa 4:3; 62:4).

[87:5]  ² tn Heb “a man and a man.” The idiom also appears in Esth 1:8. The translation assumes that the phrase refers to each of Zion’s residents, in contrast to the foreigners mentioned in v. 4. Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand this as a reference to each of the nations, including those mentioned in v. 4.

[87:5]  ³ tn Traditionally “Most High.”

[87:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he makes her secure, the Most High.”

[87:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “the Lord records in the writing of the nations.”

[87:6]  ⁶ tn As noted in v. 4, the translation assumes a contrast between “there” (the various foreign lands) and “in her” (Zion). In contrast to foreigners, the citizens of Zion have special status because of their birthplace (v. 5). In this case vv. 4 and 6 form a structural frame around v. 5.