The daughter of Zion

IN the foregoing chapter is a prophecy of the glorious kingdom of the Messiah: how that "there should come a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots"; and how that "the wolf should dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together"; and how that the Gentiles should seek to that root of Jesse, and after due time, the Jews also should be called, and they and the Gentiles should be joined together in the worship of the true God, and in a trust on the same Savior.

They are very glorious times of the church that are there prophesied of, by reason of an extraordinary flourishing of religion, and the glorious kingdom of Jesus Christ.

This chapter is a song of the church on this joyful occasion, and suited to such a glorious dispensation as is here prophesied of; and there being but six verses of it, I will read the whole of it to you. 

"And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: 

though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. 

Behold, God is my salvation; 

I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 

And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 

Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." 

In this last verse, which I have taken for my text,

1. Who is here called upon, and that is the "inhabitant of Zion"; by which is intended the church. 

She is here called the inhabitant of Zion, and is often in Scripture called the "daughter of Zion." 

Zion was a particular part of the city of Jerusalem that was strong by nature, being built upon a steep rocky mountain, which mountain was called Mount Zion. The same was called the city of David, because David took it from the Jebusites, and dwelt there. 2 Samuel 5:7, "Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion: the same is the city of David."

This city of Zion, or this part of the city of Jerusalem called Zion, was one of the principal types of the church of Christ, and was fitly so made use of upon several accounts. 

It was part of that city that God had chosen to place his name there, part of the Holy City, as it was called. It was as it were a city within a city. 

And then it was built exceeding strong upon a high rock or mountain; and therefore suitably represents the church of Christ, that is built upon the everlasting rock; and is like Mt. Zion, that "cannot be removed, but abideth forever" [Psalms 125:1]. 

And then it was the city of David, that king that was the most remarkable type of Christ. It was a city that David took out of the hands of his enemies by his own valor, as Christ redeemed the church out of the hands of his enemies. There was David's palace, as Christ hath as it were his house and dwelling place in the church. Therefore that [that] is here called the inhabitant of Zion, is the church, the spouse of the King of Zion.

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And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.

(Moroni 10:31)