Habacuque 3

¹ A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet«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.upon Shigionoth.

² Thus the people were afraid when they heard God's threatenings, and prayed.O LORD, I have heard thy speech, [and] was afraid: O LORD, revive thyThat 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.work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

³ God came fromTeman 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.Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

⁴ And [his] brightness was as the light;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; (Psa_31:16).he had horns [coming] out of his hand: and there [was] the hiding of his power.

⁵ Before him went the pestilence, and burning coales went forth before his feete.

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: hisSignifying that God has wonderful means, and always has a marvellous power when he will deliver his Church.ways [are] everlasting.

⁷ 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).I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: [and] the curtains of the land of Midian trembled.

⁸ Was the LORD displeased against theMeaning that God was not angry with the waters, but that by this means he would destroy his enemies, and deliver his Church.rivers? [was] thy anger against the rivers? [was] thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst rideAnd so did use all the elements as instruments for the destruction of your enemies.upon thy horses [and] thy chariots of salvation?

⁹ ThyThat is, your power.bow was made quite naked, [according] to theFor he had not only made a covenant with Abraham, but renewed it with his posterity.oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word. Selah. ThouRead (Num_20:11).didst cleave the earth with rivers.

¹⁰ The mountains saw thee, [and] they trembled: the overflowing of the waterHe 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.passed by: the deep uttered his voice, [and] lifted up his hands on high.

¹¹ TheAs appears in (Jos_10:12).sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation: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.at the light of thy arrows they went, [and] at the shining of thy glittering spear.

¹² Thou trodest downe the land in anger, and didest thresh the heathen in displeasure.

¹³ Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, [even] for salvation with thySignifying that there is no salvation, except by Christ.anointed; thou didst wound the head out of the house of the wicked, by laying bare the foundation to theFrom the top to the bottom you have destroyed the enemies.neck. Selah.

¹⁴ Thou didstGod destroyed his enemies both great and small with their own weapons, though they were ever so fierce against his Church.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.

¹⁵ Thou didest walke in the sea with thine horses vpon the heape of great waters.

¹⁶ When IHe returns to that which he spoke as in, (Hab_3:2) and shows how he was afraid of God's judgments.heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest inHe shows that the faithful can never have true rest, except that which they feel before the weight of God's judgments.the day of trouble: when he cometh upThat is, the enemy, but the godly will be quiet, knowing that all things will turn to good for them.to the people, he will invade them with his troops.

¹⁷ For the figtree shall not flourish, neither shall fruite be in the vines: the labour of the oliue shall faile, and the fieldes shall yeelde no meate: the sheepe shalbe cut off from the folde, and there shalbe no bullocke in the stalles.

¹⁸ Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joyHe declares in what the joy of the faithful consists, though they see ever so great afflictions prepared.in the God of my salvation.

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.The chief singer upon the instruments of music, will have occasion to praise God for this great deliverance of his Church.To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.