HABAKKUK THE ARGUMENT The prophecy of Habakkuk seems to be an exact stating of that perplexed case, touching the seeming unequalness of the proceedings of God in the government of the world, in which the good suffer evil, and the evil rejoice in prosperity; the more righteous are afflicted, and the…

The burden; see Nah. 1:1; to which we may here add, as proper to this time and place, that the prophet seems to speak of the grievous things here intended as a burden to himself, a trouble he did feel and groan under.

O Lord: unto God alone he makes his application, as only able to redress all grievances. How long! it may be some years he had preached, and in preaching had complained and cried out against wickedness. Shall I cry, unto men in thy name, and unto thee in prayer and supplication.

Why dost thou show me? it is a most unpleasing sight, and that which troubles me and every good man, to see unjust and injurious men without control, and unpunished, to act their iniquity; and yet, O God, thou not only permittest it to be done, but to be done in sight, and to the grief of thy…

Therefore; because the wicked go on with impunity, and the punishment they deserve is deferred. The law of God, given to this people by the hand of Moses, the whole law, moral, ceremonial, and judicial. Is slacked; is slighted, weakened, and little studied, and less obeyed by all sorts.

Behold ye: here God begins to answer the prophet, and calls for a very particular and exact consideration of the thing; see and ponder. Among the heathen; what judgments, what punishments have been executed upon the heathen, for like sins.

For lo: now the prophet declares particularly what it is that the Lord will work. I raise up; awaken to action, animate them in it, and strengthen them to accomplish their design. The Chaldeans, who had subdued other nations, and had already ruined the Assyrian monarchy.

They are terrible and dreadful: to affect the incredulous Jews with greater fear, it is doubled, they are of all nations most terrible; in the fierceness wherewith they assault, and cruelty with which they use their captives.

Their horses also are swifter; they will be sooner upon you than you think, and when once among you, they will be swifter than you can flee from, Isa. 30:16, Lam. 4:19.

They, Chaldeans, and in particular these fierce and swift horsemen, shall come all, with one purpose, on the same design, to enrich themselves by making a prey of all.

They, both the king of Babylon and his soldiers, shall scoff, deride and contemn, at the kings, which either confederated with the Jews, or else opposed the designs of the Chaldeans; as the kings of Egypt, of Tyre, &c. or the kings of the Jews, as Jehoiachin and Zedekiah.

Then: it notes both the time and cause of what happened; extraordinary successes, and a continued series of them, attending the designs and attempts of the Chaldean kings, at last made them so haughty and proud, as to trample on kings, Hab.

Art thou not from everlasting? in being, thou art that God who art not like the gods of the nations, upstart and novel, but before the mountains were brought forth thou wast God; thou hast permitted, borne with, restrained, overthrown, and punished such proud, bloody, and sacrilegious wretches.

Thou, O Lord, who hast raised and increased the Chaldean kingdom. Art of purer; of infinite purity and holiness. Eyes, ascribed unto God to express his knowledge; so his eves run to and fro, and his eye is upon the righteous.

Makest; not infusing cruel, ravenous, and unsatiable appetites, but permitting them to act according to such appetite which was already in them. Men; who should be just to all, and wrong none, who were once framed for mutual help in civil societies, and whose life should be beneficence.

They; either more generally oppressors every where, or else particularly the Chaldeans. Take up; draw them out slily and craftily, when they are taken by his bait. All of them without distinction, all alike, good or bad.

Therefore, because they prosper and thrive, in which they should see and acknowledge thy wise and mighty providence, they sacrifice, idolize and pay Divine honours, ascribe the praise of their victories and acquired glory, unto their net; to their own contrivances, diligence, and power, as if the…

Shall they? the Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar and his armies. Therefore; shall former success be pledge of future? they have prospered, and they think they shall; wilt thou confirm this to them? Empty their net; as fishermen empty the full net to fill it again, and cast out what they had taken to take…