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Psalm 51:18
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalm 102:13-16
Thou shalt arise,and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come…

Nehemiah 3:1
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.

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Psalm 102:20-22
To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; …

Deuteronomy 30:3
That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.

Ezra 2:64,65
The whole congregation togetherwas forty and two thousand three hundredand threescore, …

He gathers the exiles of Israel.
This phrase refers to the return of the Jewish people from exile, a significant event in Israel's history. The Babylonian exile was a period of great suffering and loss, but it was also a time of purification and renewal. The gathering of exiles is a fulfillment of God's promises through prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who spoke of a return to the land and a renewed relationship with God. This gathering is not only a physical return but also a spiritual restoration. In a broader sense, it foreshadows the gathering of God's people from all nations, as seen in the New Testament. Jesus Christ, as the Good Shepherd, speaks of gathering His flock, which includes both Jews and Gentiles, into one fold. This gathering is a picture of the ultimate redemption and unity found in Christ.

–Psalm 147:2 opens by spotlighting God as the One who actively “builds up” His city. This speaks first to the literal restoration that followed the Babylonian captivity.Nehemiah 2:17-18 records the rubble of Jerusalem being transformed as the people “strengthened their hands for the good work,” yet Nehemiah is clear that “the God of heaven” was the true Builder.

– Earlier psalms echo the same confidence: “For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in His glory” (Psalm 102:16).

–Isaiah 60:10 looks ahead to a day when “foreigners will rebuild your walls,” again stressing God’s sovereignty in the process.

–Zechariah 1:16 offers the divine pledge, “My house will be rebuilt.” The psalmist in 147 joins this chorus, reminding worshipers that every stone reset in Jerusalem’s wall testifies to God’s faithfulness.

– For believers under the new covenant, the building metaphor widens.Ephesians 2:20-22 pictures God constructing a spiritual house with Christ as cornerstone and His people as “living stones.” The same unchanging Lord who mended ancient Jerusalem is still adding strength and stability to Christ’s body today.

– The second line explains why rebuilding matters: God is bringing His dispersed people home.Deuteronomy 30:3-4 promised that even if His people were “banished to the ends of the heavens,” He would collect them.Psalm 147:2 celebrates that promise in motion.

–Jeremiah 29:14 foretold, “I will be found by you... and I will gather you from all the nations.” Ezra and Nehemiah record tangible fulfillments, yet the psalm keeps the spotlight on the Gatherer rather than the gathered.

–Isaiah 11:12 envisions a banner lifted for the nations as God “assembles the banished of Israel.”Ezekiel 34:11-13 portrays the Lord as shepherd pursuing scattered sheep until every one is safely home.

– Jesus echoed the same heart when He lamented, “How often I have longed to gather your children together” (Luke 13:34) and when He spoke of “other sheep” who must be brought in (John 10:16).

Bullet points worth noting:

• Gathering reverses exile, demonstrating forgiveness and covenant mercy.

• Gathering reunites a fractured people, restoring worship and community life (Jeremiah 31:10-13).

• Gathering showcases God’s global reach—no distance can place His children beyond recovery.

Psalm 147:2 pictures a twofold work: God restores the city and reclaims the people. The ruined walls go up because the Redeemer is present; the scattered return because the Shepherd is determined. What He did for Jerusalem after exile illustrates what He still does—He builds what is broken and gathers who are lost, proving Himself faithful to every promise.