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I. THE BUILDING UP OF ZION IS WHOLLY THE WORK OF GOD. In affecting this work, indeed, it pleaseth God to employ and to honour mortal men, and other creatures, visible and invisible. He calls "pastors and teachers for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ," by publishing and enforcing the doctrine of salvation. He raises up kings and queens, and princes and nobles, to be "nursing fathers and nursing mothers" to His Church. He gives a Paul to plant, and an Apollos to water. This He does, however, not because He stands in absolute need of them, nor because of any fitness they possess in themselves to accomplish the end. All their motions and operations and success depend entirely upon God.

II. WHEN IT PLEASETH GOD TO BUILD UP ZION, HE APPEARS IN HIS GLORY.

1. Consider the materials of which the Church is built. When a building of strength, of beauty, and of magnificence, is to be erected, men collect the most excellent materials that can be procured. But here, materials are chosen and employed which are in themselves the most worthless, and the most unlikely to answer the purpose.

2. Consider the instruments which God employs for accomplishing this great object (1 Corinthians 1:27, 28; Matthew 21:16; 2 Corinthians 12:9).

3. Consider the circumstances of the times in which Zion is most remarkably built up; times the most unlikely for her revival. Such was her condition at the close of the seventy years' captivity, when she was like "a valley of dry bones." Such was her condition when "the Word was made flesh, and tabernacled" on earth; and when the apostles of Jesus were sent forth to propagate the Gospel among the nations, "blinded by the god of this world, sitting in darkness, and in the region and shadow of death."

III. WHAT THE PARTICULAR GLORIES ARE WHICH HE THEN DISPLAYS.

1. His unsearchable wisdom. The plots and combinations of avowed enemies, their strength, their artful policy, their cruelty, their persecutions, nay, the very imperfections, faults, and corruptions of sincere friends (like the contention between Paul and Barnabas), all contribute to the building of the Church, though all of them seem to have a quite contrary tendency.

2. His almighty power. So eminently is this Divine excellence manifested in this work, that it is not unusually represented in prophecy, as a new creation (Isaiah 65:17, 18).

3. His holiness.

4. His benignity.

5. His faithfulness.

6. His justice.

(T. Davidson, D.D.)

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KJV: When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

WEB: For Yahweh has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.