Habakkuk 3:5-15

5 He sends disease before him and commands death to follow him.

6 When he stops, the earth shakes; at his glance the nations tremble. The eternal mountains are shattered; the everlasting hills sink down, the hills where he walked in ancient times.

7 I saw the people of Cushan afraid and the people of Midian tremble.

8 Was it the rivers that made you angry, Lord? Was it the sea that made you furious? You rode upon the clouds; the storm cloud was your chariot, as you brought victory to your people.

9 You got ready to use your bow, ready to shoot your arrows. Your lightning split open the earth.

10 When the mountains saw you, they trembled; water poured down from the skies. The waters under the earth roared, and their waves rose high.

11 At the flash of your speeding arrows and the gleam of your shining spear, the sun and the moon stood still.

12 You marched across the earth in anger; in fury you trampled the nations.

13 You went out to save your people, to save your chosen king. You struck down the leader of the wicked and completely destroyed his followers.

14 Your arrows pierced the commander of his army when it came like a storm to scatter us, gloating like those who secretly oppress the poor.

15 You trampled the sea with your horses, and the mighty waters foamed.

Habakkuk 3:5-15 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Probable text] ready to shoot your arrows; [Hebrew unclear.]
• [b]. [Probable text] completely . . . followers; [Hebrew unclear.]
• [c]. [Verse 14 in Hebrew is unclear.]