Joy and Zion

"To Zion" by Lauryn Hill, From her album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, is a song that chronicles the the birth of her son Zion as well as conveying the idea that there is no greater joy than the joy that comes from your children.

In the second verse, Hill writes "How beautiful if nothing more / Than to wait at Zion's door" which is allusion to the city of Jerusalem, as well as her actually standing outside of her son's room. Biblically, the city of Jerusalem is considered the promised land and the land of complete joy, which she is comparing to waiting outside of her son's room, meaning that her son is giving her as much joy as possible.

Hill makes many more biblical references throughout the song "But then an Angel came one day / Told me to kneel down and pray / For unto me a man child would be born" This is representative of her finding out that she was pregnant, but this is also a biblical reference to the birth of Jesus.

Hill continues her biblical allusions with the final lines of the second verse "See I know that a gift so great / Is only one that god could create / And I'm reminded every time I see your face" in these lines she is not only expressing how much she enjoys her son but she is implying that her son is is a gift from god.

"To Zion" is not only a song about Lauryn Hill's first child, but it also describes the endless joy that stems from children.