Habakkuk 3

, i The prophet in this hymn recounts, in a poetical style, God’s wonderful works, in conducting his people through 2 D 2 Microsoft v5/ [chap. in.; the wilderness, and giving them possession of the promised land: from whence he encourages himself, and: other pious persons, to rely upon God for making good his promises to their posterity in after-ages. Vcr. l.A PRAYER of Ilabakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.] Or, as the marginal reading explains it, According to the tunes called in Hebreiv Shigionoth; which were musical compositions used in the public service of the temple. (Compare the title of Psal. vii.) It is called a prayer, because it begins in the form of a supplication, although the following parts are rather in the nature of a h>mn, or a thanksgiving. shining of thy glittering spear. Hailstones, the artillery of heaven, came down upon the heads of the enemies, accompanied with thunder and lightning. As the blaze of lightning is here elegantly compared to the glittering of a spear, so the lustre of arms is often compared by the poets, particularly Homer, to the flashes of lightning; so we read Iliad, xi. ver. 65. * Ilac & apa X a ^ K $ AafHp’, wen arspoirr) irarpbc Atbg Alyioxoio. His brazen amis like flames of lightning shone. Which the great TJiunderer launches from his arm. The same thought occurs again, Iliad, x. ver. 155. (See the note upon Ezek. xxi. 15.)

Habakkuk 3:2

O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and teas afraid: Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make [it. known, &c] 1 have heard what thou hast revealed to ine concerning thy judgments upon thy people: the terribleness of them strikes me with a reverential awe and dread; (compare ver. 16.) yet 1 earnestly beg of thee, If it be thy gracious will, to exert thy power, and renew thy former wonders, for the deliverance of thy people, before the seventy years determined for their captivity be expired: and in the midst of judgment to remember mercy.

Habakkuk 3:3

God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. The prophet, to encourage the faithful still to trust in God, recounts some remarkable instances of the protection he afforded their forefathers in the wilderness, w T here they were destitute of all visible means of sustaining’ themselves. First of all, he takes notice of the wonders he did for them when they came near the border of Edom, when the Edomites came out with a mighty force to oppose their passage: (see Numb. xxi. 20.) the like wonders he had shewed in their former journeys from Mount Sinai to Paran: Numb. x. 12. (Compare Deut. xxxiii. 2.) Ibid, and

Habakkuk 3:4

His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. His brightness was as the light. He manifested his glory by that terrible appearance of his presence upon Mount Sinai, where the lightnings shone in the air, Exod. xix. 16. and the pillar of fire enlightened the earth, and conducted them in their journeys: Exod. xiii. 21. He had horns coming out of his hands: and there was the hiding of his power J] The Hebrew word keren signifies both horns and rays of light. (See Exod. xxxiv. 29, 30.) So the marginal reading here is to be preferred: He had bright beams coming out of his side. The Schechinah or symbol of the Divine presence had rays of light issuing out on every side, and yet that was but a hiding or veil to the Divine Majesty, who covereth himself with light as with a garment, Psal. civ. 2.

Habakkuk 3:5

Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. As thunder and lightnings are his harbingers; (see Psal. xviii. 8.) an emblem of his being a consuming fire, Deut. iv. 24. when he comes to execute vengeance upon his enemies; of which the Egyptian plagues, and the discomfiture of Sihon and Og, were a terrible proof.

Habakkuk 3:6

He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations. Like a conqueror, he divided the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel; having first scattered and discomfited the former inhabitants. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow.] The mountains and hills are said to quake at God’s presence, Nahum i. 5. so here the whole land of Canaan is said to tremble, and even the mountains themselves, the most solid and impregnable parts of it, because the hearts of the stoutest of the old inhabitants fainted and lost their courage. (See Josh. ii. 24.) [By the mountains and hills may be meant the greater and lesser principalities or kingdoms in the land of Canaan, see Psal. lxxii. 3.] The mountains and hills are spoken of t as emblems of eternity, because time seems to make no change or alteration in them. (See Gen. xlix. 26. Deut. xxxiii. 15.) His ways are from everlasting.] His purposes are decreed from all eternity, and will infallibly be executed in their appointed time.

Habakkuk 3:7

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction, &c. I beheld the Arabians, called Scenitee, from their dwelling in tents, and their neighbours the Midianites, in great consternation, upon the approach of the Israelites towards their borders: (see Numb. xxii. 3. Exod. xv. 15.) whom they afterward destroyed in battle. (Numb. xxxi. 2, &c.).

Habakkuk 3:8

Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? &c;J AVlien God dried up the channel of the Red Sea, (Exod. xiv. 22.) and afterward that of the river Jordan, (Josh, iiu 16, 17.) it was not out of any displeasure against the waters, but for the safety of his people, for whose deliverance he appeared in as illustrious a manner, as if he had been seen riding in the clouds, and carried upon the wings of the wind, as in a chariot (Compare Deut. xxxiii. 26. Isa. xix. 1. Psal. lxviii. 4. ciY. 3.)

Habakkuk 3:9

Tliy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Thou didst fight for Israel, and didst make bare thine arm in their defence, as evidently as if thou hadst been seen with a bow in thino hand; that thou mightest fulfil the oaths and promises thou hadst made to give the tribes of Israel full possession of Canaan: thy word being in itself as immutable, as when it is confirmed by the solemnity of an oath. (SeeIIeb.vi.18.), TIiou didst cleave the earth with rivers.] Thou didst cleave the hard rocks, and the earth about them, and make the waters to run down in a great stream or channel, like a river; which followed them a great part of their journey. (See Psal. lxxviii. 15, 16. cv. 41. 1 Cor. x. 3.)

Habakkuk 3:10

The mountains saiv thee,’ and they trembled. Mount Sinai, and the hills adjoining, felt the effects of thy presence. (Compare Exod. xix. 16. 18. Judg. v. 4. Psal. lxviii. 8. lxxvii. 16. cxiv. 4.) The overflowing of the water passed by.] Or rather, Tlie stream of water overflowed; for in that sense the verb abar is often used. (See Isa. viii. 8. Dan. xi. 10.) The deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.] The waters gushed out of the bottom of the rock with a mighty noise, as if the fountains of the great deep had been opened, (Psal. lxxviii. 16.) and forced its way upward, as a man gets up an ascent by the strength of his hands.

Habakkuk 3:11

The situ and moon stood still iu their habitation. At the command of Joshua. (See Josh. x. 12.) > At the light of thine airoivs they went, &c] When the people marched against their enemies, God sent hailstones and lightnings from heaven to discomfit them. (Sec Josh. x, 11. and compare Psal. xviii. 14. cxliv. 6.) Or thewords may be translated thus; Thine arrows went at the light and

Habakkuk 3:12

TIiou didst march through the land [of Canaan. in indignation, thou didst thrash the heathen in anger.’] i.e. Thou didst subdue them, not only by giving success to the arms of the Israelites, but likewise thyself fighting against them from heaven, (ver. 11. 13. compare Isa. xxi. 10. xli. 15. Jer.li. 33.) -

Habakkuk 3:13

Tliou wentest forth for salvation vnth thine anointed. With thy peculiar favourites, such as Moses,.Joshua, and David, all set apart by thy appointment to be leaders and rulers of thy people. (Compare Psal. cv. 15.) TIiou tvoundedst the head out of the house of the wicked.] The heads (see ver. 14.) or confederate princes of the Canaanites. (See Josh. x. 3. xi. 1.) By discovering the foundation to the neck.J Or, Rasing the foundation, as the word aroth signifies, Psal. exxxvii. 7. by undermining them from bottom to top. „

Habakkuk 3:14

Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages. Or, Thou didst strike through the head of his warriors among his tribes, or families. Thou didst discomfit all the petty kings of their several clans, or families, carrying on the war against Joshua. (See Josh. *ii. 9, &c.) The w r ord perazav, his village^, in our translation, the Scptuagint translate warriors, or generals: and so they understand it, Judg. v. 7. 11.’ which sense agrees best with this place. When they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me.] Armies are elsewhere compared to whirlwinds. (See Zech. ix. 14.) TJteir rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.] The metaphor is taken from wild beasts, who carry their prey into their dens, and there devour it.

Habakkuk 3:15

Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, &c. Thou didst conduct thy people through the Red Sea, and the river Jordan, as safely as if they had rid on horseback. (See ver. 8.)

Habakkuk 3:16

Wlien I heard, [thy judgment decreed against thy own people, ver. 2. my belly trembled, &c] I was all over in a shaking and consternation, and no strength remained in me. (Compare Jer. xxiii. 9. Dan. x. 8.) Thai I might rest in the day of trouble, &c] Noldius, p. 108. 110. of his Concordance, hath given the easiest sense of the latter part of the verse, translating it thus: Yet I shall rest in the day of trouble, when he shall come up against the people, even he who shall invade them with his troops: the prophet speaks in the person of the pious man; 1 shall rest secure under the Divine protection, when the Chaldeans shall come to invade Judea. (See ver.

Habakkuk 3:17

Hiough the fig-tree shall not blossom, &c. Though all outward means of nourishment or preservation should fail, yet will I still trust and depend upon God’s promises. ru •

Habakkuk 3:19

The Lord will > make my feet UM hinds’ feet, and will mak& me walk upon my high places. This verse is taken out of Psal. xviii. 33. He will restore my former strength, nimbleness, and agility, in war, and make mc again possessor of the chief places of strength in my native country. (See Deut. xxxii. 13. xxxiii. 29. Psal. xviii. 33.) To the chief singer [or musician] on my stringed instruments.] This hymn was designed to b6 sung in the templeservice, (see ver. 1.) and for that purpose was delivered to the chief musician, to be set to musical notes. (Compare the title of the fourth Psalm.) This direction might probably be given by order of king Josiah.