Hab. 3 Habakkuk’s prayer, Hab. 3:1–2. He describeth God’s majesty, and wonders wrought in his people’s behalf, Hab. 3:3–16. He professeth his unshaken trust in God, Hab. 3:17–19.

A prayer: the prophet required the earth Should be silent before God, and now gives them example; he waits on and prays to God in his holy temple: some say it is a prayer of intercession, and that the word carrieth it so. Habakkuk the prophet: see Hab. 1:1.

I have heard; received answer to the inquiry made Hab. 1:13–17, whether by voice from heaven, or by inward illumination or irradiation of the mind, or any other way of impression from the prophetic Spirit, needs not be inquired.

God, the God of our fathers, our God, came; appeared, discovered himself, for that is his coming, who, since he fills all places at all times, cannot be said to come by any change of place. Teman; either appellatively, the south, or else as a proper name of a mountain or country.

His brightness, that lustre in which God appeared, that unparalleled splendour which shined from him, was as the light; pure, clear as the sun, but much more dazzling and overcoming. Horns: some read it beams or rays of light, and so the Hebrew will bear, and thus it is plain.

Before him: when God was leading the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan, he made the pestilence to go before him, so preparing room for his people. The pestilence, which wasted the inhabitants of Canaan, swept them out.

He stood; gave his presence with Joshua and others, as one that stood by while the work was done. Measured: he divided to them their inheritance, and did this without toil or difficulty, his very presence with his people was enough to make it known what he allotted to them.

I saw; not with the eye, but with his mind and understanding, in reading the history of Israel’s travels. The tents, for the people that dwelt in them.

The prophet recalls to memory the miraculous dividing of the Red Sea and Jordan, when God divided them to make a passage for his people, when by a miracle he made the devouring element to be a safeguard to his people, when it was not displeasure against the sea or the river, but favour to Israel,…

Thy bow; one part of armour put for the whole; or else the Lord here is represented as armed, in readiness to smite through all enemies, having his bow in his hand. Was made quite naked; the case taken off, that when it was to be used there might be no delay.

The mountains; literally taken, it is an elegant hyperbole, expressing to us the glorious effects of God’s power and presence; and thus Sinai and the contiguous hills, the whole mount, Ex.

The sun and moon stood still: though the sun rejoice as a giant to run his race, and had constantly come out of his chamber to run it about two thousand five hundred years past, yet now he stops his course, and with his stay puts stop to the motion of moon and stars, at the command of God’s…

Thou, our God, didst march, as the victorious Conqueror leading still thine armies, the tribes of Israel, through the land of Canaan, to subdue the remainders of thine enemies and theirs, and to give thine Israel possession of the Promised Land. In indignation against them for their sins.

Thou wentest forth: pursuant of his metaphor, the prophet speaks of God as marching on before his people; or it may refer to the ark, a token of God’s presence before the people.

Thou, O God, didst strike through with his staves; either meant of the staves or arms of the Canaanitish kings which they lifted up against Israel, thereby provoking Israel to fight, in which being overcome, they perished by their own arms taken from them; or it may be meant of the weapons of…

Thou, O God, or thou, O Israel, notwithstanding all plots and opposition, didst walk; heldest on thy way, and walkedst from thy entering on the east of the land to the west thereof; from Beth-el, Jordan, and Jericho on the east, where they entered the land that lay within Jordan.

When I heard, what dreadful desolations God threatened against Israel, Hab. 1:5–11, for of those he now speaketh and meditateth, having finished his elegant description of God’s wonderful works of mercy toward Israel of old, and left them as a foundation of comfort and hope.

To war foreseen the prophet supposeth famine, and describeth the most grievous, as indeed it fell out. Although the fig tree, which was in that country a very considerable part of their provision to live upon, shall not blossom; not give the least sign of bringing forth fruit.

As for my part, I will, saith the prophet, rejoice; look for joy, expect matter of rejoicing in the Lord, who will preserve a remnant and redeem them, who will rebuke Babylon, and will very strangely destroy it.

The prophet had in his own, and in the name of all the godly, made a full profession of his faith, and resolution to behave himself with joy in midst of troubles, Hab.