THE PROPHET
HABAKKUK

1 That is, set in various meter. The meaning is: it was to be sung after the manner of the songs which are called shigionoth. See Psalm 7 on verse 0. Some render it, for the unknown, or, the ignorant ones, that is, to crave pardon at God’s hand, for the sins of the people, which they committed ignorantly, but this is not so well liked by others, there being no such matter treated of in this psalm.

2 Hebr. have heard thy hearing, that is, when I have heard that which Thou wast pleased to reveal unto me, namely, the fearful judgments, wherewith Thou art threatening Thy people. See Hab. 1:5, etc.

3 Some understand here by the work the people and church of God, which is the most important work among all the works of God, as Psalm 100:3; Isa. 29:23; 45:11. Others understand it thus: Lord, maintain in essence and in honor that which Thou hast wrought among Thy people, whom Thou hast kept and protected so mightily and wonderfully. This comes much to the same sense, as the former.

4 That is, during the captivity of 70 years of Thy people in Babylon.

5 The sense is: Cause Thy people to know and understand this by Thy Word and the preaching, and make it in fact appear among the heathen that Thou hast mercy on Thy people.

6 Spoken of God after the manner of men. See Gen. 8 on verse 1; 9:15; 30:22; Exod. 6:4. Now that God in His anger is mindful of compassion, this appears at many places of Holy Scripture, as Exod. 32:11, 12; Num. 14:17; Psalm 6:4; 9:9, 10; 25:6, 7; 51:1; 103:6, 7, 8, 9; Isa. 12:1; Jer. 14:7; Lam. 3:55; Dan. 9:6, 16, and more elsewhere.

7 In this and some of the following verses the prophet describes the majesty and power of God, which He showed at the promulgation of His law; intimating thereby that it is an easy thing for that mighty God to deliver His people again out of the Babylonian captivity whenever it shall please Him.

8 That is, He appeared to His people, namely, in Moses’ time, when He gave His law to them. Hebr. shall come. See Deut. 33 on verse 2.

9 By Teman some understand the mountain otherwise called Seir. See Amos 1:12; Obadiah verse 9. Other, from the south.

10 Namely, the Holy One of Israel.

11 See of Paran Gen. 14 on verse 6. This is a mountain situated near that of Sinai, which is situated in the wilderness of Paran. See Num. 10:12; 12:16; 13:26.

12 This word is found nowhere but in this song of Habakkuk and in the Psalms of David. See Psalm 3 on verse 2.

13 Or, His majesty.

14 This is to be understood in regard of the glorious appearance of God unto His people, when He gave them His law with thunder and lightnings, etc. See Exod. 19:16; 2 Cor. 3:7.

15 That is, as of the sun. The sun is called the light, as being the greatest body of light that God created. See Job 31 on verse 26; 37 on verse 21. And here by the brightness was as the light is to be understood the splendor of the pillar of fire, which did shine on the Israelites in the wilderness.

16 Namely, unto a sign of His power; for, by the horns is often understood in Holy Scripture for power. Others understand here by horns such beams as the bright shining sun casts forth, or, such as went forth from the face of Moses after that he had spoken with God. See Exod. 34 on verse 29.

17 That is, at His side. See 2 Sam. 18:4; Neh. 3:2; Prov. 8:3. The sense is: on each side there was a horn, as the horned beasts have a horn on each side. Other, there were two horns on his side.

18 Hebr. the hiding of his strength. The meaning is: that, by the splendor here spoken of, God made indeed His power known (compare Psalm 18:11, 12, etc.), nevertheless as such that He did not let His people see all His power and glory, but some rays only of the same, lest the people would be too much dismayed and terrified by beholding all the majesty of the Lord.

19 That is, he destroyed the nations which rose up against His people with all manner of plagues, namely, the Amorites, Sihon and Og, etc. The phrase is borrowed from the kings and princes of this world. As they use to have many servants and officers go before them, so when God is angry and will proceed to judgment, He sends forth before His face, as it were, all manner of plagues and diseases, and other miseries and calamities. See Exod. 9:3, 6, 23, 24; Num. 14:12.

20 Or, carbuncle. See Deut. 32:24; Psalm 78 on verse 48.

21 Namely, God the Lord, represented by the ark, which remained fourteen years at Gilgal, until the Jews had divided the land of promise among themselves.

22 That which was done at God’s command, this he attributes to God Himself, for the land was divided and meted out to the Israelites at God’s own command by lot, Numbers 32; 34; Joshua 1; 5; 11; 12; Psalm 78:55.

23 Namely, the land Canaan.

24 By a stern countenance God could have expelled those nations, even though they were firmly rooted in that land.

25 That is, He scattered the Gentiles and cast them out, namely, the Canaanites, who at first had lived in the land.

26 Thus the hills and mountains are called, because of their firm and steadfast abode. See Ezek. 36 on verse 2.

27 As showing reverence to Him.

28 Or, he had everlasting ways, that is, His ways are everlasting, or, the Lord did bring to pass what He had decreed from everlasting. He alone is eternal, and His decrees, whereby He governs the world, are from all eternity.

29 Or, belong to him.

30 Namely, I, the people of Israel; whereof see Exod. 15:14, or, I saw, that is, I am as sure of it, as if I beheld it with my own eyes.

31 Or, of the Moors or Ethiopians. Understand hereby: and of other nations situated round about. See Judges 3:8.

32 Or, in difficulty, or, in heaviness, or, given over to vanity, that is, persecuting in vain and to no purpose the people of God.

33 That is, the tents, made of curtains. See the history, Judges 7:21.

34 Or, were moved or shaking. It seems the prophet has respect here to the defeat of Cushan-rishathaim, Judges 3:10, and of the Midianites, Judges 6; 7.

35 Namely, against the Red Sea and the Jordan, which He clave asunder. The sense is: It seemed indeed that the Lord was wroth against the rivers, but that was not really the case. It was His purpose to let His people go through them.

36 Understand here by the horses the pillar of cloud and fire, which are as the horses of the Lord, moving and turning them whithersoever He pleases, as the rider does his horse. Or, riding upon horses may here signify, advance and execute speedily.

37 Namely, by which Thou didst bring deliverance to Thy people. It seems that this has regard to the history described in Exod. 13:21; 14:14.

38 Or, with thy bow, that is, by Thy power and command. Other, Thy bow was made bare and naked.

39 Or, the nakedness of the sea, namely, of the Red Sea and of the Jordan, made itself, or, was made naked by Thy bow. See Psalm 114:5; Isa. 63:12. Other, Naked is thy bow awakened, done for thine oaths’ sake in the word, etc.

40 Understand the oaths and promises which the LORD made to Abraham, Gen. 15:14, 15; 17:8, and unto the other patriarchs. Therefore it is stated here oaths, not oath, because God the Lord has frequently renewed the oath.

41 Or, thou hast cleft the earth with the rivers. See Num. 20:10, 11; 21:16; Psalm 78:15, 16; 114:5; 1 Cor. 10:4. Other, thou clavest the rivers unto the very ground, in order that the people of Israel would be able to go through it.

42 Or, When the mountains saw thee, they were affrighted. Some refer this to the time of the promulgation of the law, Exod. 19:18. See Psalm 114 on verses 4, 6.

43 Namely, for fear which they had for Thee.

44 Namely, of Jordan. Other, the overflowing of waters.

45 That is, run quite away, because the waters, which came from above downwards, stood still, but the waters, which ran downwards, abated and flowed away. See Joshua 3:16.

46 The abyss or depth of the Red Sea was heard, namely, running downwards with a great noise and force, the one part tearing or bursting away from the other.

47 Or, his sides. Hebr. his hands, that is, the heaps of waters, which, standing upright, were as hands to the body. Yet this is to be understood only of the one side, which remained standing upright unmovable as a wall, until the Israelites were passed through; the other side ran downwards, making likewise a dry passage. Others, the depth lifted up her hands. Her hands, that is, her great mountains of water, standing upright on the one and the other side in sublimity, proving to Thee, O Lord, in their manner, honor and obedience.

48 Namely, while Joshua fought against the Amorites, Joshua 10:12.

49 That is, in the heavens.

50 Understand here at the light the lightning.

51Arrows is here understood as hailstones. See Joshua 10:11.

52 That is, the terrible thunderclaps, mixed with fearful lightnings and hailstones, injuring and killing as sharp spears. Other, and with the splendor of thy spears.

53 Namely, through the land of Canaan, driving out the Canaanites to plant Thine own people therein.

54 Or, in fierceness.

55 See of this speech and punishment, Amos 1:3; Micah 4:13.

56 Namely, who dwelt in Canaan, being seven in number.

57 That is, to help with or by Thine Anointed, that is, with Christ, Whose type was Joshua. Others understand here thine anointed with David, who likewise was a type of Christ, whose victories are described in 2 Samuel 5; 8; 18, and elsewhere. Other, for deliverance to thine anointed, that is, Thy chosen One.

58 That is, the lords and princes of the people, who mightily opposed themselves against the Israelites, such as were the Philistines, the Moabites, Ammonites, Syrians, Edomites, etc.

59 Understand here by the foundation the land itself, which the Lord had cleansed from the one end to the other from the enemies of His people, notwithstanding that they had it so covered and were rooted and settled in the same, that it seemed an impossible thing to root them out thence. See verse 6. Or, the sense is: Thou hast made the enemies of Thy people ashamed from top to toe, that is, from the greatest to the least.

60 See verses 3, 9.

61 Namely, of the Anointed; or, with thy peoples’ sticks or staves. The sense is: Thou hast made them, who were left behind in the villages and the surrounding places and have tormented Thy people, so ashamed by Thine Anointed, as if Thou hadst bored the head through with a drill. Other, with their, namely, their own staves, that is, with the selfsame means whereby they meant to destroy Thy people.

62 Namely, my people, the Israelites.

63 Or, that rejoiced as if, etc.

64 Namely, the afflicted and distressed, yea all but oppressed Israelites, who were often constrained, for fear of their enemies, to hide themselves in holes and caves in the time of the Judges, for it seemed that they would be devoured and swallowed bodily.

65 See verse 8.

66 Or, by, or, upon the heap of many (or great) waters. Understand this of the great heaps of the waters of the Red Sea, which stood upright as walls, when the Israelites passed through it. Compare Joshua 3:13.

67 When I heard the judgment of God of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, verse 2.

68 That is, all my inward parts, or, my heart, as Prov. 20:27. Compare Isa. 16:11. Other, my belly was troubled.

69 That is, when I heard this prophecy of the Lord of the destruction of Jerusalem. See Hab. 1:6.

70 That is, it grieved me very sore, even as much as if my bones were all festered and putrefied with sores.

71 That is, in the very place wherein I now stand, or, stood, when I heard that voice.

72 Or, I, that am to rest, or, that I may rest. Here the prophet raises himself up again by paying attention to God’s gracious government.

73 Namely, the king at Babel.

74 Namely, against the people of Judah. See the history in 2 Kings 25.

75 The sense is: Although the land of the Jews shall be miserably destroyed very much on all sides by the Chaldeans.

76 That is, the fruit.

77 That is, shall not appear, but shall deceive the husbandman’s hope. See the like phrase, Job 41:9; Isa. 58:11.

78 Hebr. make.

79 That is, no fruits for food and meat to men and beasts.

80 Or, the cattle, understand the smaller kind, such as sheep and goats.

81 That is, no large animals, such as oxen and cows.

82 I, Habakkuk, and all true believers.

83 By reason of the comfort which the LORD promised unto me of the deliverance of His people. See chapters 2 and 3.

84 Or, because of God my Saviour, or, in the God of my salvation, that is, Who has procured salvation for me. The Hebrew word for salvation and the word for Jesus are both from one root or origin, so that this may suitably be applied to Christ.

85 That is, Who gives me strength; His power is made perfect in my impotence.

86 That is, He shall make it so that I shall be able to escape every trouble and danger, as likewise shall be able to overcome happily all difficulties. This expression we find also in 2 Sam. 22:34. See there the annotation and compare it with 2 Sam. 1:23.

87 Namely, so swift and so quick as the feet of the hinds or harts. See 2 Sam. 22:34 and compare this with Psalm 18:33.

88 That is, He shall bring me again into my own country, namely, into the land of Judah, which is high and mountainous. Or, understand hereby the high places, strong holds, castles, fortresses.

89 The sense is: This prayer has been delivered by the prophet Habakkuk unto the chief singer to be sung in the assembly of the congregation on neginoth, or on neginothai. Others render it: to the stringed instruments, or on my instruments with strings. See hereof further Psalm 4 in the title. The last sentence in this verse one may write this by itself, starting with a new sentence after the words mine high places as not being properly a part of the Psalm, but as follows: ... upon mine high places. To the chief Musician on my Neginoth.