Habakkuk
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Habakkuk 3
Habakkuk 3
1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, set to Shigionoth.
2O Jehovah, I have heard the report of thee, and am afraid: O Jehovah, revive thy work in the midst of the years; In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.
1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
2O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
Commentary · verses 1-2
3God came from Teman, And the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of his praise.
3God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
Commentary · verse 3
This referred to God leading the Israelites out of Egypt through Teman and mount Paran.
4And his brightness was as the light; He had rays coming forth from his hand; And there was the hiding of his power.
4And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
Commentary · verse 4
God was light and power went forth from His Hands.
5Before him went the pestilence, And fiery bolts went forth at his feet.
5Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
Commentary · verse 5
Habakkuk continued proclaiming God's greatness (through verse 15)…
6He stood, and measured the earth; He beheld, and drove asunder the nations; And the eternal mountains were scattered; The everlasting hills did bow; His goings were as of old.
7I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
8Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? Was thine anger against the rivers, Or thy wrath against the sea, That thou didst ride upon thy horses, Upon thy chariots of salvation?
9Thy bow was made quite bare; The oaths to the tribes were a sure word. Selah Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
10The mountains saw thee, and were afraid; The tempest of waters passed by; The deep uttered its voice, And lifted up its hands on high.
11The sun and moon stood still in their habitation, At the light of thine arrows as they went, At the shining of thy glittering spear.
12Thou didst march through the land in indignation; Thou didst thresh the nations in anger.
13Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, For the salvation of thine anointed; Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked man, Laying bare the foundation even unto the neck. Selah
14Thou didst pierce with his own staves the head of his warriors: They came as a whirlwind to scatter me; Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
15Thou didst tread the sea with thy horses, The heap of mighty waters.
16I heard, and my body trembled, My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entereth 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 that invadeth us.
6He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
7I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
8Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?
9Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
10The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.
11The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.
12Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
13Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.
14Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
15Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.
16When I 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 the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
Commentary · verses 6-16
This word from God had tremendous effects on Habakkuk's body.
17For though the fig-tree shall not flourish, Neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labor of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall yield no food; The flock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
17Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Commentary · verses 17-18
Although the land was bearing no fruit, Habakkuk was still rejoicing in the Lord. He was being a man: focused on the causes regardless of the effects.
19Jehovah, the Lord, is my strength; And he maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, And will make me to walk upon my high places. For the Chief Musician, on my stringed instruments.
19The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Commentary · verse 19
God was Habakkuk's strength and swiftness.
The Book of Habakkuk was the eighth of the twelve books that made up the minor prophet section of the Old Testament. Habakkuk was a prophet after the time of Isaiah and concurrent with Jeremiah. Chronologically, the Book of Habakkuk occurred after the previous seven books of the minor prophet section. In the first chapter, Habakkuk was focused on God's Holiness (Right and Just) and its vindication in the coming judgment of Judah. In the second chapter, God's response presented several causes for Him to bring judgment: pride, not loving others, building with a wrong HOW and WHY, causing others to fall through drunkenness, and committing idolatry. All of these things prevented people from achieving God's purpose for this earth: to be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of Jehovah. The third chapter consisted of Habakkuk's prayer for Israel's eventual revival.
Habakkuk's response to God's answer was to pray for Israel to be revived. A prayer of Habakkuk set to "Shigionoth." The word "Shigionoth" meant "hymn." In the context of Habakkuk's prayer, it meant that Habakkuk was praying/crying aloud to God. Habakkuk requested that God, in His wrath, remember mercy.