There is nothing special about Jerusalem except that it is where God chose to put His name. Nothing in Jerusalem's physical location makes it a natural center of commerce or trade. No rivers or trade routes made it significant. It has significance simply because God chose it and God founded it. It was to be “the city of God,” the capital of the coming kingdom. He chose it in preference to every other place where Israelites lived. "His foundation" indicates God founded the city "in the mountains," to which we lift our eyes.
This is where the center of government will be when our Lord Jesus Christ reigns [Isa.2:2; Zech. 2:10-11]. Nations from all directions will come when they recognize Zion as the headquarters from which our Lord will govern and bring peace on earth. National leaders will go there to be guided in their rule by the King of kings. Many people will turn to the Lord when they realize the antichrist has deceived them. The world government will be centered there when our Lord Jesus Christ dwells there among His people.
It will be the center of worship for the world. The glorious future of Jerusalem as the center of worship will also make it the geographical and political center of the world. It is God's grace that formed and will sustain this city. Nations will bring glory there through "the gates" to the "city of God." Not only will it be the place of the rebirth of the nation of Israel, but other nations will recognize that the spiritual needs of their people will be rebirth. “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“Glorious things” are probably prophecies and promises to Israel. Not only that, but nations will also be converted to God. When the Feast of Tabernacles (booths) is held there, rulers of other nations will be expected to be there, or they will find the rain will not fall on their nations, and there will be plagues in their own countries [Zech. 14:16-19]. Some of those nations are listed in this psalm: Rahab (tumult) is Egypt; Babylon (confusion); Philistia; Tyre (the Phoenicians); and the Ethiopians will all become citizens. The future of Jerusalem is written about in Isaiah 60 and 66; Gal. 4:26 (Jerusalem is the mother of us all), Heb. 12:22. People deceived by the antichrist will turn to the Lord. "This man was born there," will be the words of those who were dispersed but will be brought back to where God wanted them to be all the time.
The new birth of individual believers today places us in the kingdom of God now. In the coming day, spiritual rebirth will give them citizenship in the kingdom of God and citizenship in Zion. God’s grace has maintained Jerusalem as an entity even though it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. God’s people will be registered there, and all those born again will enter the kingdom of God. When God takes the census, those born again can say, “This man was born there.” That will be a work of God in individuals and the nation of Israel. "All my springs are in thee" indicates the fountain of my life comes from where God chose to place His name. Future generations will recognize the "place of His name."
PSALM 87 THE CITY OF GOD v.1-3. The glories of Zion. “Glorious things are spoken of thee.” v.4-6. The citizens of Zion. “This and that man was born there.” v.7. Rejoicing in Zion. “All my springs are in thee.”