Habakkuk 3

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 'tis a Prayer of intercession, and that the word carrieth it so. of Habakkuk Vid. chap. 1. ver. 1. the prophet Vid. chap. 1. ver. 1. let. c. upon Sigionoth A musical note, say some, and such note as the Jews have no certain knowledge of. Others say Sigion th is ignorances, which the Prophet does confess, and sueth for the pardon of; both he and the people had erred, were offended at the darkness of divine providences, and needed pardon as well as instruction, or it may be a Prayer on occasion of the many and great changes Providence wrought in the affairs of the World and the Church..

O LORD, I have heard Received answer to the inquiry made chap. 1. verse 13.14, 15, 16 and 17. whether by voice from Heaven, or by inward illumination or irradiation of the mind, or any other way of impression from the Prophetick Spirit, needs not be enquired. thy speech The report or declaration God made to him concerning the future corrections of his own people, and the devastations Babylo would make among them; And next the destruction which should fall upon the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians, which is summarily set down, chap. 2., and was afraid Trembled at the apprehension of these sad things, which both we and they were to suffer; He saw them as certain and grievous., O LORD revive Not only keep alive, but somewhat refresh, renew, give some new strength to thy Church and People, who wait for thee. thy work Thy Church called, Isa. 45.11. as here Gods work in an eminent manner above other people, so the Apostle, we are his workmanship, Eph s. 2.10. or else by work may be meant, the returning of the Captivity, and restoring them to their own Land, which was the great thing God did promise to do for them; and the Prophet prays for some kindness from the Lord, that may be a revival of the hope, assurance and joy of it. in the midst of the years 'Tis not needful we report the different account of these years, and the precise midst of them assigned by some, perhaps it may point to that time when Evil Merodach exalted Iehoiachin out of Prison, which 2 Kings 25.27. was in the 37th year of their Captivity, but I rather think 'tis more vulgarly to be taken for any time within the term of the sad and troublesome days which would last seventy years., in the midst of the years make known It is an affectionate request, and (as such often are) somewhat abrupt, make known either thy Truth, or Wisdom, or Power, or Compassion, or all, make it known that thou art our God, and we thy people, that thou still hast a care of us, or what next follows makes the sense full., in wrath Whilst thy just displeasure burns against us for our sins. remember Make it appear thou hast not forgotten to be gracious, let thy people see thou remembrest mercy toward them. mercy.

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. from Teman Either Appellatively the South, or else as a proper name of a Mountain or Country, so called from Teman, Son of Eliphaz, and Grandson of Esau. It is also called Seir, or is one particular Hill among those many, which make up Mount S ir. It was not far from Mount Sinai, where the Law was given, and the Prophet has respect to that Deut. 33.2. where God appeared in a manner equally Glorious and Terrible., and the holy one Of Israel. from mount Paran Which was a name to Wilderness, Plains, and a Mountain, of which the Prophet here speaketh, and in Deut. 33.2. 'tis said God shined thence. This the Prophet mentions as a support of his Faith, as an encouragement to others, as a motive why God should renew his work among them, since he so Gloriously appeared among their Fathers, and made a Covenant with them., Selah To the Argument he addeth this to awaken us to attention., His glory Lightnings and Thunders, and Fire and Smoke, tokens of the Power, Majesty and Greatness of God, at the sight whereof Moses himself trembled. covered Overspread, intercepted and obscured. the heavens That part of the visible Heavens, under which Israel then encamped., and the earth That part of the Earth where this was done. was full of his praise Of works which deserved then, and still do deserve to be had in remembrance, with praise to God who did them..

And his brightness That Lustre in which God appeared, that unparallel'd splendour which shined from him. was as the light Pure, clear as the Sun, but much more dazling and overcoming., he had horns Some read it Beams or Rayes of Light, and so the H b. will bear, and thus 'tis plain. coming out of his hand Our God is all Glory and Light, Moses face shined, the Face, yea, Hands of our God, shine with Glorious Light; He dwelleth in Light., and there Either in that place where he thus appeared, or in that Light wherewith he appeared. was the hiding One would think his brightness should have discovered, not hid his Power, it did both it discovered much of it, but hid much more; it was Light inaccessible, and therefore a hiding Light. of his power Strength or might, by what was there done it did evidently appear, God who was there could do much more, but it could not appear how much he could do..

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. went the pestilence Which wasted the inhabitants of Canaan, swept them ou., and burning coals Burning Feavers and other dis empers of fiery and destructive Nature, which destroyed the accursed Nations. went forth As sent, and observing the way he directed. at his feet Kept even pace, or waited on him, were his immediate forerunners: All this mentioned as arguments to prevail for somewhat like these for Israel, and against Israel's enemies. O God, revive some such work amidst us..

He stood Gave his presence with Ioshuah, and others, as one that stood by while the work was done. and 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. the earth The promised Land.: he beheld Lookt with a frowning countenance, with anger in his eye., and drove asunder Cast them out, or caused them to fly, as many did out of that Country, his Eye did this, for he lookt on them, and did this. the nations The cursed Nations., and the everlasting mountains were scattered Either literally understood, as Nahum 1.5. and may relate to that the Psalmist minds, Psal. 114.4, 6. when the whole Mount, all the Mountainous parts of Sinai tremble, Exod. 19.18. &c. or figuratively, the state of these Nations, seeming as immoveable as Mountains, yet soon shook and dissolved, before the rebuke of the Lord., the perpetual hills did bow An elegant immutation of the phrase, to illustrate and confirm the same thing.: his wayes are everlasting The wisdom, goodness, justice, holiness, faithfulness and power of God, which he shows in the methods of his governing his Church and People, are everlasting, they are the same, and where the same circumstances concurr, the same effects of his power may be hoped for; So the Prophet pursueth the argument; They are everlasting loving kindnesses with which he embraceth his Church..

I saw Not with the eye, but with his mind and understanding in reading the History of Israels Travels. the tents For the people that dwelt in them. of Cushan Some say of Cushan Rishathaim, in Othniels time, and under his victories over them; But I rather think 'tis meant of the Aethiopians, on the confines of Arabia, that Land of Cash, near whose borders Israels march through, and incampings in the Wilderness, had very often lain. in affliction In fear and pain, least that mighty people under the conduct of their General, (famed for Miracles) should as a violent storm fall on them, and dispoil them., and the curtains For those that dwelt within them; These people dwelt in Tents, and these made up on the sides with curtains. of the land People of the Land. of Midian A people sprung from one of Abraham's Sons, by Keturah, who gave his name Midian to the Land, as well as to the people. did tremble Were sore afraid of the armes of Israel, which at last by Gods express direction, were employed against Midian, and cut off five Kings, and destroyed the Country, These terrible things our God, whose wayes are Everlasting, has done to carry our Fathers from Egypt to Canaan, let him who is our God still revive his work, &c..

Was the LORD displeased The Prophet recalls to memory the miraculous dividing of the Red Sea, and Iordan, 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 'twas not displeasure against the Sea or the River, but favour to Israel, that moved him to do this. The Prophet repeats the question to impress the mind of the Captive Iewes, with deeper apprehensions of the Mercy of their God. against the rivers See Nahum 1. verse 4. let. d.? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea The Red Sea., that thou didst ride As a General in the head of his Army, leading them forward on some great exploit. upon thine horses Alluding to the manner of men, with whom horses are of greatest, strongest and stateliest preparations against an enemy, but these were not designed against the Sea as against an enemy., and thy chariots But with these Horses are joined (for the decorum of the figure) Chariots, that are Chariots of Salvation for his people; chear up then, the Lord has the same love and power still. of salvation?

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 'twas to be used, there might be no delay., according to the oaths of the tribes In pursuance of his Oath made to our Fathers, he promised, and confirmed the promise by Oath, that he would drive out the Canaanites, and this Oath is here called Oaths, because repeated and renewed at several times, and 'tis Oaths of, i. e. to the Tribes, to raise their hope in their present low condition; Not Abraham here mentioned, lest they should be upbraided with degenerating and losing the right to the Promises; but 'tis Tribes, the right is in them., even thy word Of promise.. Selah Note it well.. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers When they were to march through a dry and thirsty Land, where no water was, how should they subsist? what good to be defended from perishing by the sword of an enemy, and be left to perish for want of refreshing waters? This then is added to complete the Mercy, our God made Rivers in the desert for them, and satisfied them with streams out of the flinty Rock..

The mountains Litterally taken 'tis an ellegant Hyperbole, expressing to us the glorious effects of Gods power and presence, and thus Sinai, and the contiguous Hills, the whole Mount, Exod. 19.18. are intended, or if you take it figuratively, these are Kings and States, whose Hieroglyphicks in Scripture are Mountains. saw Were sensible of, showed they were affected with his approach and presence. thee, and they trembled Were grieved, so 'twill well suit to Mountains Metaphorically taken, it was grief to the Kings and States to see God own, conduct, and prosper Israel, Numb. 22.3. Iosh. 2.9, 10, 11. or trembled, i. e. were shaken as with an Earthquake, Exod. 19.18. and Psal. 68.8. and 114.4.6. so it suits the letter of the Text.: the overflowing The inundation which at that season was wont to be very great, the mighty floods on Iordan. of the water passed by Passed away, i. e. at the word of God the waters below flowed, and ran away from those above, which stood on a heap to make a path for Israel.: the deep Either the deep Channel in which Iordan flowed, the very bottom of the River appeared, or the deep, i. e. the Red Sea uttered his voice with dreadful roaring like a mighty voice, parted its waters; divided, but with great and terrible noise, in this unusual commotion., and lift up his hands Testified its Obedience to the command of God, as by lifting up the hand, one does at distance signifie his ready complyance with the command, or direction, or hands, i. e. sides: so when the upper waters stood on a heap both in Iordan, and the Red-Sea, they appeared as with sides or flankers unto the Israelites. on high Like a Mountain, visible, and conspicuous to all..

The sun and moon stood Though he rejoice as a Giant to run his race, and had constantly come out of his chamber to run it about 2500 years past, yet now stops his course, and with his stay puts stop to the motion of Moon and Stars at the command of Gods Minister, and Israels Captain, Ioh. 10.12, 13. still in their habitation So the Psalmist, Psal. 19.4. speaks of a Pavilion or Tabernacle pitch't for the Sun, where now at Ioshua's word, seconded with the word of Io h a's and Israel's God, he makes a halt as 'twere, stands at the door of his Tabernacle to behold and forward the strange work, the miraculous overthrow of the five conspiring Kings.: at the light of thine arrows they went As we read the words they seem somewhat obscure and perplext, yet very intelligible in this paraphrase at the light, according to the light which thine arrows gave by their glittering heads, polisht shafts, and bright Feathers; in their flight thine arrows O God, for these were the arrows of Israel, and thine arrows too, as the sword of Gideon was the sword of the Lord. T ey, i. e. Sun and Moon, went, directed their course, and took their way compliant with the flights of these arrows, not hastening to the place of their going down whilest Israel had arrows to shoot, or Enemies that day to discomfit, whilest they were to lift up a spear against any En my that day. The Marginal reading of these words is much plainer. Thine arrows walked in the light, (which was miraculously continued) and thy spears walked in the brightness of the lightning, (as I venture for once to read the words from the Hebrew) so dreadful was that day to the Enemy, so joyful to Israel, O let some such day arise on Captive Iews, revive thy works of old, so the Prophet prays., and at the shining of thy glittering spear.

Thou Our God, didst march as the victorious Conquerour 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 didst thresh Break to pieces the heathen the Nations devoted to destruction, these were cut in pieces by the sword of Israel. in anger.

Thou wentest forth Pursuant of his Metaphor the Propher speaks of God as marching on before his people or it may re er to the Ark, a token of Gods presence before the people. for the salvation To complete the Salvation beg n in bring ng them out of Egypt, and carrying them through the Wilderness, and to be f nis t in se ling them in Canaan. of thy people Thy chosen people, the Tribes of thine Inheritance., even for salvation 'Tis repeated for conf mation, and to affect us with the greatness of the mercy; with thine anointed or for thine anointed, i. e. all Israel, or under the Conduct of thine anointed, Ioshua, Type of the Messiah, by hose hand all th se great things were done., thou woundedst the head Gavest a deadly wound to the Princes, and Kings of Canaan, Enemies to Israel, who were cut off, and their Families utterly destroyed. out of the house Royal Palaces, or antient dwellings, and setled habitations of which slaughter of Canaanitish Kings, Psal. 136. 17, 18, 19. of the wicked The Courts of these Kings were houses of greatest wickednesses, for which they were destroyed;, by discovering the foundation rasing the Foundations of their Power, and destroying all from foot to head. unto the eck. S lah All which is to be heeded, and well minded..

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 perisht by their own Arms taken from them, or it may be meant of the Weapons of Ioshua, and Israel, called Staves, for that they were Arrows and Spears, which are armed Staves, or it might be translated Tribes; so with the Tribes of Israel, the Tribes of Gods anointed, or by them were these Canaanites destroyed. the head of his villages All the Cities, and all the unwalled Towns; for so Israel destroyed the Daughters with the Mothers; i. e. the Villages with the Cities.: they The Inhabitants of Canaan, but particularly the five Kings, ver. 11. let. f. of whose conspiracy you read Iosh. 10. which see. came out as a whirlwind With violence invading every side; a Tempest made up of contrary Winds and Exhalations, moving as violently as irregularly to scatter to disperse and drive away from the Earth. me: their rejoicing The joy they took was such as is the joy of men, who take the spoil of Enemies, and come to feast, not fight. was as to devour They dreamt of nothing else but eating up Gods people as they would eat bread. the poor Helpless and Friendless as they seemed to be, poor Israel. secretly Either by secret Conspiracy, or by secret execution of the Plot they laid against Israel..

Thou O God or thou O Israel, notwithstanding all Plots and Opposition. didst walk Heldest on thy way, and walkedst from thy entring on the East of the Land, to the West thereof; from Bethel, Iordan, and Iericho on the East where they entred the Land that lay within Iordan. through Rather to, (as I. Tr. and Gr.) the most Western parts of all the Land God gave, they took possession from East to West, to the great Sea. The Western Sea, the mightiest Sea the Iews of that time knew, called here by way of Eminency the heap of great Waters. the sea with thine horses o through the heap p of great waters Called Ezek. 47.10, 15, 19, 20. the great Sea, as Iosh. 9.1. so was fulfilled what was promised, and they took possession of that was estated on them, Iosh. 1.3, 4. I rather refer this 15th verse in this manner, then with most Interpreters to the Red Sea, which is to me a repetition unseemly for so short and elegant an enumeration of Gods wonderful deliverances, and blessings to Israel, from their leaving Egypt, to their setling in Canaan..

When I heard What dreadful desolations God threatned against Israel, chap. 1. ver. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. for of those he now speaketh of and meditateth on, having finisht his elegant description of Gods wonderful works of mercy toward Israel of old, and lest them as a Foundation of comfort and hope., my belly Or Heart, or Bowels, or inward parts, Prov. 20.27. trembled An other effect and sign of surprising fears and astonishment: my lips quivered at the voice at the mere report.: rottenness entred into my bones A Consumption, and decay of all my strength; a languishing of my Spirits, and a declining of my vigour, a very usual effect of great fears., and I trembled in my self I was all shaken, as with an Earthquake, no part was free or unshaken., that I might rest in the day of trouble These fears awakened my remembrance of that God, and those wonders which I have recounted, these fears have occasioned my search into this Mystery of Providence, that understanding it, I might, as I do, betake my self to God, and his Covenanted Mercies, that I may rest in him who will make it g well with the Righteous, even with those righteous who shall live to see, and feel the troubles of those days.: when he cometh up The King of Babylon, with all his bitter and cruel Nations bent on violence and rapine. unto the people Against the Iews, my people, says the Prophet, he will invade with mighty force, and cut in pieces, make most bloody work among them. them with his troops With numerous Armies and spoil in Troops, where what one leaves, another will take; where none escape the fury of some or other in the Troops, see this accomplisht 2 Kings, chap. 25..

Although To War foreseen the Prophet suppose h Famine, and describeth the most grievous, as indeed it fell out. 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,, neither shall fruit be in the vines which were also the Riches, and Provision of those Countreys,, the labour Either labour bestowed upon the Olive, or the Fruit which the Olive brings forth, called here labour by an allusion to our labour. of the olive shall fail Disappoint the expectation of both dresser and eater,? and the fields ploughed and sown shall yield no meat Corn for Bread., the flock Of Sheep kept out in the field. shall be cut off Either by Wolf, Murrain, or by the wasting Babylonians, from the fold where they were wont to be safe; now are in greatest danger, and that because they may be swept away all at once., and there shall be no heard Greater Cattel kept in the stall for labour, or for feeding. in the stall.

Yet I As for my part, I will, says the Prophet will rejoice look for joy, expect matter of rejoicing in the Lord, in the LORD who will preserve a remnant and redeem them, who will rebuke Babylon, and will very strangely destroy it.: I will joy in the God The Prophet renews his own Faith, and confirms curs. of my salvation All shall end in Salvation to him, and Believers..

The Lord GOD is my strength 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, ver. 17.18. now he gives us account on what ground he speaks so, 'tis not in his own strength, he can do it, but it is because the Lord God is his strength., and he will make my feet like hinds feet That I may escape to God my refuge, to that safe Mountain of Salvation, that I may at last ly from Babylon to Iudea, to Ierusalem., and he will make me to walk upon mine high places To my Native Country, to my Beloved City, and thy more Beloved Temple which were built like high places to that Munition of Rocks, &c. Deut. 32. 13. Isa. 33.16. My God will return my Captivity, and when I am set at Liberty as I shall be by Cyrus, my God will be my strength, that as a hind let loose, I may hasten to the Mountains of Israel.. To the chief singer on my Let this be kept on record for publick use, this be pattern for others as well as 'tis declaration of my Faith, Hope, Desire, and Prayer. stringed instruments.