Habakkuk 2

Habakkuk 2:5

Was driven from men - Being bereft of his understanding, as a man distracted he fled, and betook himself to the woods.

Habakkuk 2:6

Mine understanding returned - God shined upon his soul, and gave him understanding to consider his sad state, and the causes of it. And honoured him - By prayer and praise, adoring the justice and mercy of God, giving God the glory of his sovereignty and unchangeableness.

Habakkuk 2:7

As nothing - A due consideration of God’s infinite greatness, makes the creature appear as nothing; creatures are nothing to help, nothing to hurt, nothing in duration, nothing solid and substantial, nothing without dependence, and influence, and support from God. His will - Being the Lord of hosts, and the only absolute and universal monarch of the world.

Habakkuk 2:8

Brightness - I had again the majesty of a king in my countenance. I was established - In wonted power and place, owned and obeyed, by all. Majesty was added - He was the most august and magnificient prince on earth, much more so than before.

Habakkuk 2:9

Now I praise - Thus can the Lord make the stoutest hearts to stoop, and do him homage. This doxology proceeds from his heart. Are truth - God is truth essentially: he is the rule and standard of truth, his words are truth, his ways are truth, and they are judgment: he is wise, and hath dealt justly with me for my pride, and in very faithfulness hath afflicted me, and in very tenderness hath restored me; I do, and ever shall adore him for it. Able to abase - As he hath declared upon me, in stupendous changes, which I proclaim to all the world. He had a just controversy with me, and I have no ground to quarrel with him, but to give him glory by this confession. What authority had any one to say, That this man “was no convert?” We can no more doubt of his salvation than of Solomon’s.

Habakkuk 2:11

Belshazzar - The grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. Made a great feast - After the manner of the eastern kings who shewed their magnificence this way. But this is prodigious that he should carouse when the city was besieged, and ready to be taken by Darius the Mede.

Habakkuk 2:12

To bring the vessels - Triumphing thereby over God and his people.

Habakkuk 2:14

And praised the gods of gold - At the same time insulting the great God of heaven and earth.

Habakkuk 2:15

Came forth fingers - The likeness of a man’s hand.

Habakkuk 2:16

His knees smote - So soon can the terrors of God make the loftiest cedars, the tyrants of the earth.

Habakkuk 2:20

The queen came - The women in those courts had an apartment by themselves, and this being the queen - mother, and aged, did not mingle herself with the king’s wives and concubines, yet she broke the rule in coming in now, upon this solemn occasion.