3:1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet a upon Shigionoth.
(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.
3:2b O LORD, I have heard thy speech, [and] was afraid: O
LORD, revive thy c work in the midst of the years, in the
midst of the years make known; in wrath 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 d Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran.
Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full
of his praise.
(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 And [his] brightness was as the light; e he had horns
[coming] out of his hand: and there [was] the hiding of his
power.
(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; (Ps 31:16).
3:6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove
asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were
scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his f ways [are]
everlasting.
(f) Signifying that God has wonderful means, and always has
a marvellous power when he will deliver his Church.
3:7g I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: [and] the
curtains 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, (Jdg 5:10), and also of the Midianites,
who destroyed themselves, (Jdg 7:22).
3:8 Was the LORD displeased against the h rivers? [was] thy
anger against the rivers? [was] thy wrath against the sea,
that thou didst ride i upon thy horses [and] thy 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 Thy k bow was made quite naked, [according] to the l
oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word. Selah. Thou m didst
cleave 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 (Nu 20:11).
3:10 The mountains saw thee, [and] they trembled: the
overflowing of the water n passed by: the deep uttered
his voice, [and] lifted up his 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 o sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation: p
at the light of thy arrows they went, [and] at the shining
of thy glittering spear.
(o) As appears in (Jos 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.
3:13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, [even]
for salvation with thy q anointed; thou didst wound the
head out of the house of the wicked, by laying bare the
foundation to the r neck. 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 Thou didst s strike through with his staffs the head of
his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me:
their rejoicing [was] as to devour the poor secretly.
(s) God destroyed his enemies both great and small with
their own weapons, though they were ever so fierce
against his Church.
3:16 When I t heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at
the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled
in myself, that I might rest in u the day of trouble:
when he cometh up x to the people, he will invade them
with his troops.
(t) He returns to that which he spoke as in, (Hab 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.
3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy y 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 The LORD God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet
like hinds' [feet], and he will make me to walk upon my
high places. z To the chief singer 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.
