Habakkuk 3:9-19

9 You raise up your empty bow, uttering curses for the arrows.Selah With rivers you split open the earth.

10 The mountains see you and writhe. A flood of water rushes through. The deep utters its voice; it raises its hands aloft.

11 Sun and moon stand still high above. With the light, your arrows shoot, your spear at the flash of lightning.

12 In fury, you stride the earth; in anger you tread the nations.

13 You go out to save your people. For the salvation of your anointed you smashed the head of the house of wickedness, laying bare the foundation up to the neck. Selah

14 You pierce the head of his warrior with his own spear. His warriors are driven off, those who take delight in oppressing us, those who take pleasure in secretly devouring the poor.

15 You make your horses tread on the sea; turbulent waters foam.

The prophet responds

16 I hear and my insides tremble. My lips quiver at the sound. Rottenness enters my bones. I tremble while I stand, while I wait for the day of distress to come against the people who attack us.

17 Though the fig tree doesn't bloom, and there's no produce on the vine; though the olive crop withers, and the fields don't provide food; though the sheep is cut off from the pen, and there is no cattle in the stalls;

18 I will rejoice in the LORD. I will rejoice in the God of my deliverance.

19 The LORD God is my strength. He will set my feet like the deer. He will let me walk upon the heights.

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Habakkuk 3:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HABAKKUK 3

The title of this chapter is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, composed after the manner of a psalm of David, and directed to the chief singer, Hab 3:1,19. The occasion of it is expressed, Hab 3:2 in which the prophet declares his concern for the work of the Lord, and the promotion of the kingdom and interest of Christ; and observes the various steps that were, or would be, taken for the advancement of it; for which he prays, and suggests that these would be after the manner of the Lord's dealing with the people of Israel, and settling them in the land of Canaan, Hab 3:3-15 and there being several things awful in this account, both with respect to the judgments of God on his enemies, and the conflicts and trials of his own people, it greatly affected the mind of the prophet, Hab 3:16 and yet, in the view of the worst, he expresses his strong faith in the Lord, as to better times and things, that would most assuredly come, Hab 3:17-19.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Footnotes 5

[a]. Heb uncertain
[b]. Heb uncertain
[c]. Or me
[d]. Or I tremble beneath me.
[e]. Or my heights