Habakkuk Chapter 3

From The Open Bible Project

3:1 A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music.

• (a) "upon Shigionoth" or "for the ignorance". The prophet instructs his people to pray to God, not only because of their great sins, but also for those they had committed in ignorance.

3:2 Yahweh, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, Yahweh. Renew your work in the midst of the years. In the midst of the years make it known. In wrath, you remember mercy.

• (b) Thus the people were afraid when they heard God’s threatenings, and prayed.
• (c) That is, the state of your Church which is now ready to perish, before it comes to half a perfect age, which would be under Christ.

3:3 God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and his praise filled the earth.

• (d) Teman and Paran were near Sinai, where the Law was given: by which is signified that his deliverance was as present now as it was then.

3:4 His splendor is like the sunrise. Rays shine from his hand, where his power is hidden.

• (e) By which is meant a power that was joined with his brightness, which was hidden to the rest of the world, but was revealed at Mount Sinai to his people; (Psalms 31:16).

3:5 Plague went before him, and pestilence followed his feet.

3:6 He stood, and shook the earth. He looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains were crumbled. The age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal.

• (f) Signifying that God has wonderful means, and always has a marvellous power when he will deliver his Church.

3:7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction. The dwellings of the land of Midian trembled.

• (g) The iniquity of the king of Syria in vexing your people was made manifest by your judgment, to the comfort of your Church, (Judges 5:10), and also of the Midianites, who destroyed themselves, (Judges 7:22).

3:8 Was Yahweh displeased with the rivers? Was your anger against the rivers, or your wrath against the sea, that you rode on your horses, on your chariots of salvation?

• (h) Meaning that God was not angry with the waters, but that by this means he would destroy his enemies, and deliver his Church.
• (i) And so did use all the elements as instruments for the destruction of your enemies.

3:9 You uncovered your bow. You called for your sworn arrows. Selah. You split the earth with rivers.

• (k) That is, your power.
• (l) For he had not only made a covenant with Abraham, but renewed it with his posterity.
• (m) Read (Numbers 20:11).

3:10 The mountains saw you, and were afraid. The storm of waters passed by. The deep roared and lifted up its hands on high.

• (n) He alludes to the Red Sea and Jordan, which gave passage to God’s people, and showed signs of their obedience as it were by the lifting up of their hands.

3:11 The sun and moon stood still in the sky, at the light of your arrows as they went, at the shining of your glittering spear.

• (o) As appears in (Joshua 10:12).
• (p) According to your command the sun was directed by the weapons of your people, that fought in your cause, as though it dare not go forward.

3:12 You marched through the land in wrath. You threshed the nations in anger.

3:13 You went forth for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the land of wickedness. You stripped them head to foot. Selah.

• (q) Signifying that there is no salvation, except by Christ.
• (r) From the top to the bottom you have destroyed the enemies.

3:14 You pierced the heads of his warriors with their own spears. They came as a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating as if to devour the wretched in secret.

• (s) God destroyed his enemies both great and small with their own weapons, though they were ever so fierce against his Church.

3:15 You trampled the sea with your horses, churning mighty waters.

3:16 I heard, and my body trembled. My lips quivered at the voice. Rottenness enters into my bones, and I tremble in my place, because I must wait quietly for the day of trouble, for the coming up of the people who invade us.

• (t) He returns to that which he spoke as in, (Habakkuk 3:2) and shows how he was afraid of God’s judgments.
• (u) He shows that the faithful can never have true rest, except that which they feel before the weight of God’s judgments.
• (x) That is, the enemy, but the godly will be quiet, knowing that all things will turn to good for them.

3:17 For though the fig tree doesn't flourish, nor fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food; the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls:

3:18 yet I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

• (y) He declares in what the joy of the faithful consists, though they see ever so great afflictions prepared.

3:19 Yahweh, the [4] Lord [See Habakkuk Footnotes 4], is my strength. He makes my feet like deer's feet, and enables me to go in high places. For the music director, on my stringed instruments.

• (z) The chief singer upon the instruments of music, will have occasion to praise God for this great deliverance of his Church.