Habakkuk 3:1-9

1 A Prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.

2 Jehovah, I heard the report of thee, [and] I feared. Jehovah, revive thy work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make [it] known: In wrath remember mercy!

3 God came from Teman, And the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covereth the heavens, And the earth is full of his praise.

4 And [his] brightness was as the light; Rays [came forth] from his hand; And there was the hiding of his power.

5 Before him went the pestilence, And a burning flame went forth at his feet.

6 He stood, and measured the earth; He beheld, and discomfited the nations; And the eternal mountains were scattered, The everlasting hills gave way: His ways are everlasting.

7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

8 Was Jehovah wrathful with the rivers? Was thine anger against the rivers? Was thy rage against the sea, That thou didst ride upon thy horses, Thy chariots of salvation?

9 Thy bow was made naked, The rods [of discipline] sworn according to [thy] word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.

Habakkuk 3:1-9 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]. Plural of Shiggaion: see title of Ps. 7.
• [b]. Poal: as ch. 1.5.
• [c]. Or 'was full.'
• [d]. Lit. 'horns.'
• [e]. Or 'made the earth to tremble.'
• [f]. Or 'His are the ways of old.'