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"Zion," in this verse, means the hill on which the temple stood, and is therefore taken for the temple itself; and the temple, again, means God's worshipping Church, with God Himself dwelling in the midst of it. He prays for good to this worshipping assembly of God's people, under the designation first of Zion, second of Jerusalem. In the second aspect the Church is figured by a city, a metropolitan city, a walled city. The Church is brought before us as a city, and her members as citizens. They are members of the heavenly polity. Jerusalem stands for the gathered assembly of God's people worshipping and dwelling secure in their quiet habitations (Hebrews 12:22). It is the rich grace of God, and His free love and unchangeable good-will to His people, that are the sole causes of the welfare of His Church God alone can do good unto Zion; He alone can build up the walls of Jerusalem. But to this work God has a good-will. Zion lies near His heart. When we are seeking this, when we are labouring for this, we are sure to find favour with God. God alone can do it; still our duty is to labour, to teach transgressors God's ways, that sinners may be converted unto Him. All that befalls the Church is according to the good pleasure of God's will. This is the ground of our calling, election, justification, glorification. Whatever we seek must ever be sought under this restriction, "Thy good pleasure." Build Thou; but do it in Thine own wise time, in Thine own good way. Build Thou the walls of separation, that divide the Church from the world; let them be in it, not of it: keep them from its evil.

(T. Alexander, M. A.)

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KJV: Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

WEB: Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.