Everyone who knows me knows I love the city of Philadelphia. Everyone.

Two weeks ago, I was on a “roommates call” with a bunch of old friends from 45 years ago. One of them, Dave, had one question for me. “Are you still a die-hard Philadelphia fan?” “Is the Pope Catholic?,” was my response, followed by, “Dave, I am a true Philadelphian,” and then knowing that he and another friend on the call had spent significant time in Dallas, I said, “For me, heaven will be sweeter if Jesus returns the day after the Cowboys finish 0-17.” It was a joke, but it was true.

Many of us have a favorite city. We got attached to it as young boys or girls. We grew up in it or near it. We attached ourselves to its sports teams like we were owners. We celebrated its uniqueness. We loved its foods. We overlooked many of its less savory aspects. In some ways, our favorite city was never really chosen by us. It was more like an absorption of our affections happened while we weren’t looking, and now it’s part of the rhythm of our lives.

Where am I going with this?

Well, I am trying to get my head around Psalm 87.

The sons of Korah wrote a song about their favorite city, Jerusalem. 

I never wrote a song about Philly!

What is so great about Jerusalem?

One very significant thing. 

Yahweh loves it.

That’s enough.

It is the city He founded (vs. 1) and established (vs. 5). He loves it more than any other place on earth, more than any other dwelling place where His people have ever lived (vs. 2). He takes special notice of everyone who was ever born there (vs. 4, 5, and 6). He actually “records” the place of birth as he registers the peoples of the earth (vs. 6a).

He chose it. Yahweh promised to glorify it. He disciplined it like a loving father. He restored it, redeemed it, and chose it to be the place to which He would send His redeemer, not just for it but for all those who would believe in Him. It was His special place of visitation and the place He called the nations to come and worship Him. And one day, He is coming again to reveal Himself and judge the earth in the city of Jerusalem (2 Timothy 4:1-2).

So yeah, the sons of Korah are on to something.

But it is that peroration of the seventh verse that really got my attention. It talks about the singers and dancers of Jerusalem, so exuberant in their worship that their heart’s cry is that “All my springs of joy are in you.”  

Think about that.

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“All my springs of joy are in you.”

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The worshipers of Jerusalem, who know how magnificent their privileges are in the city of God’s favor, say that all the springs of their refreshing, and joy, and comfort, come out of, spring out of their hearts in their thoughts about Jerusalem. It was stunning. 

And then I saw it.

There was another option.

The question arose:

“Is their joy in their city, or is that the “you” of verse 7 not the city itself but You? Are You the “you” of verse 7?  In other words, it isn’t the city itself that is their spring of joy, it is You, Yahweh, that is their spring. You are the cause of their joy. Jerusalem is Your city. It is the special dwelling place of Your glory for Your purposes. It is where worship of You was established, and where Your love was proved, and from where Your love will be vindicated on the day of judgment.  Yes, Lord. All my springs are in You too. And I would do well to have Jerusalem replace Philadelphia as my favorite city. Make it so, Lord. Make it so.