Mount Zion

Psalm 87:2-3 says, “The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are said of you, city of God.”

Mount Zion is the name of a hill on the southern side of the Old City of Jerusalem. The word “Zion” appears over 150 times in the Bible. It originally referred to the Jebusite fortress on the southeastern slope of Jerusalem.

After David captured the “fortress of Zion,” he built his palace there, and Zion became known as the “City of David.” David then brought the Ark of the Covenant to Zion. When Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, “Zion” expanded to include the Temple and the surrounding area (Psalm 2:6; 48:2, 11-12; 132:13). Later, “Zion” came to be used as a general term for the city of Jerusalem, the entire land of Judah, and the Jewish people (Isaiah 40:9; Jeremiah 31:12; Zechariah 9:13).

The most significant meaning of the word “Zion” is its theological sense. As the Bible progresses, “Zion” evolves from a mere physical city to a term with rich spiritual meaning, symbolizing Israel as God’s chosen people (Isaiah 60:14). In the New Testament, its spiritual meaning represents God’s spiritual kingdom, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1).

Today, Mount Zion is a popular tourist destination, home to landmarks such as the Abbey of the Dormition, the Tomb of David, and the Cenacle (the Upper Room).

Biblical accounts:

Psalm 2:5-6: “Then he will speak to them in his anger; he will terrify them in his wrath, saying, ‘I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.'”

1 Peter 2:6: “For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone; the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'”

Revelation 14:1: “Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.”