For thy servants take pleasure in her stones
Meaning not Cyrus and Darius, who gave leave and orders for the
rebuilding of the city and temple of Jerusalem, as some; nor
Nehemiah, and Ezra, and others, who took more pleasure in the
stones and rubbish of the temple, as it lay in ruins, than in all
the stately palaces in Babylon; and who were very desirous of,
and took delight in gathering these stones, and putting them
together again, as others; but, the ministers of the Gospel, and
other Christians, in the latter day, who will take pleasure in
the great number of converts that there will then be, who, as
lively stones, will be built up a spiritual house; and especially
when those stones shall be laid with fair colours, and the
headstone shall be brought in with acclamations, crying, Grace,
grace unto it; see ( 1 Peter 2:5 ) (
Isaiah
54:12 ) ( Zechariah
4:7 ) .
and favour the dust thereof;
which sometimes designs multitudes, ( Numbers
23:10 ) , perhaps here it may denote the meanest of the
Lord's people, who will be regarded, and not despised by his
servants; but they will show favour to them, do them all the good
they can, and wish well to them, and pray for their prosperity,
and for the peace of Zion; that God would make it the joy of the
whole earth; and when there shall be such a delight in the stones
and dust of Zion, and a spirit of grace and supplication poured
forth upon the servants of the Lord, to pray for the promised
glory and happiness of it, it will be a token for good, and an
intimation that the set time to favour her is at hand; which
seems to be the sense of the psalmist: such great reverence and
respect have the greatest of the wise men among the Jews for the
land of Israel, literally understood, that they kiss the borders,
the stones of it, and roll themselves in its dust F1, having
perhaps in mind this passage of Scripture.