Old Testament Commentary - Habakkuk 3

by Don R. Hender

If one reads this chapter from the perspective of a visionary accounting of the Second Coming of Christ set to music with instructions, it has a very effective application. Habakkuk has written a 'song of testament' to be accompanied by the musical instrument called the 'Shigionoth', likely a small harp-like string instrument. His introduction , verse 2 and half of 3 is perhaps of a background perspective given before the actual singing of the song. But after the first mucical que (Selah) of the third verse, the actual visionary account seems to swing into its song. This carries through until the second que (Selah) at the end of the thirteenth verse. Perhaps the vision then is ended and the music and singing is stopped. Then the spoken commentary and reflective personalized surmise follows in verses 14-16. Then the last paragraph and verses seem to be a personal resolve that despite the troubled images which the vision did present, to hold to the Lord. Then there is a final comment to the 'chief singer' which seems to indicate that this was written and given to him so that he might know how to perform it.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

           CHAPTER 3
In his prayer Habakkuk trembles at the majesty of God.
In his 'hymn of praise' or rather 'song of testimony' Habakkuk seemingly reveals a vision of the power and majesty of God during the events of the Second Coming of the Lord.

1 A PRAYER^a of Habakkuk the prophet upon ^aShigionoth.
2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years^a, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
1^a A Prayer While the word 'prayer' is stated here, it is likely that it is a 'Hymn of Praise', a 'Song of Testament' as one of the Psalms which is being so sung as praise unto God rather than an actual prayer of a personal inquiring nature. Now when we are taught to pray we are given the understanding that our prayer is addressed to God our Eternal Father of our spirits. And we pray in the name of Jesus Christ the Son. Did the prophets of old have such an understanding concerning prayer and the distinctions between the Son who was Jehovah and God the Father who Jehovah did stand in the stead of in all things? If so then that LORD which Habakkuk so first addresses is God the Eternal Father of Spirits though we know that the mediating Son Jehovah is whom or by whom and through whom the prayer is administered.
2^a revive thy work in the midst of the years While but a 'Hymn or Psalm' of praise, the question arises, in what depth and unto what understanding were Habakkak's words? The 'work' of God is to bring to pass the immortallity and eternal life of man, and this through the gospel of Jesus Christ wrought by the power of Christ's atonement. And we are to have that faith in Christ unto salvation. This is God's work. The midst of the years or the ages of time pertaining to Christ's generation is the meridian of time. Jesus Christ came in the meridian of time to the end of the redemption and salvation of mankind. Was Habakkuk's words unto this understanding and meaning, calling unto the Lord to work his great work of salvation, redemption and the performance of the atonment unto the 'reviving' of man from the fall? If so then this becomes quite a Messianic song of praise unto God. 4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5
   ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah
5^a TG Nature, Earth
   ^b TG Spirit Creation
   ^c TG Creation
   ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of
   ^e Moses 3:5

3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount ^aParan. Selah^a. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
4 And his brightness was as the light; **^ahe had horns coming out of his hand^a**: and there was the hiding of his power.
3^a Selah Selah is a musical 'que' defined as 'a technical musical term'. While thought by some to be a que to either pause, interrupt, of some sort of accentuation, its literal meaning is 'to lift up or exalt'. I would here suggest a more simple musical usage in terms of this chapter. The first 'Selah', I would suggest would be to the lifting up of the muscial intrument and the beginning to play the accompaniment or more simply stated, it is the que to begin or commence the song with music, transitioning from merely speaking to going into song. The second 'Selah' at the end of the 13^th verse would then be that musical que or inticator to cease the musical accompaniment or song sung and return to speaking without music.
4^a he had horns coming out of his hand This is quite a visionary picture of the power of God. The 'horns' coming out of his hand is that light of God's power extending from the hand of God. Just how that power of God works in such events as the creation or in any such great work which the Lord undertakes by the power of his hand may possibly actually be seen. Habakkuk or at least the Song of Testamony which he is singing here seems to have such an appreciation of just how and what it looks like for the power of God to so stream forth from his hand as 'horns or beams of light'. Did Habakkuk see such a sight? Did he see it in vision? Or is he singing a 'traditional' hymn come down out of Israel which is either an account of a prophet other than himself, perhaps of another's conprehension and visionary understanding. Or even is it an account of God's power experienced at some time by the children of Israel in their various events in the wilderness and mount of Paran? 4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5
   ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah
5^a TG Nature, Earth
   ^b TG Spirit Creation
   ^c TG Creation
   ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of
   ^e Moses 3:5

Seemingly a Panoramic Visionary Experience

This supposed 'hymn' seems to be more of an account of a vissionary experience, perhaps one which reflects either past or future events. The 'everlasting mountains and the perpetual hills' seem to be a reference to this land of Adam in America from a latter day perspective. Is this perception or vision speaking of such events at the coming day of the Lord?

5 Before him went the pestilence, and ^aburning coals went forth at his feet.
6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual ^ahills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5
   ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah
5^a TG Nature, Earth
   ^b TG Spirit Creation
   ^c TG Creation
   ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of
   ^e Moses 3:5

7 I saw the tents of ^aCushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of ^bMidian did tremble.
8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?
9 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.

10 The ^amountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.
11 The ^asun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.

12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
13 Thou wentest forth for the ^asalvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou ^bwoundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.

14 Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the ^aheap of great waters.
16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.

17 ¶ Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The LORD God is my ^astrength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine ^bhigh places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 3 In his prayer Habakkuk trembles at the majesty of God.	In his 'hymn of praise' or rather 'song of testimony' Habakkuk seemingly reveals a vision of the power and majesty of God during the events of the Second Coming of the Lord.
1 A PRAYER^a of Habakkuk the prophet upon ^aShigionoth. 2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years^a, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.	1^a A Prayer While the word 'prayer' is stated here, it is likely that it is a 'Hymn of Praise', a 'Song of Testament' as one of the Psalms which is being so sung as praise unto God rather than an actual prayer of a personal inquiring nature. Now when we are taught to pray we are given the understanding that our prayer is addressed to God our Eternal Father of our spirits. And we pray in the name of Jesus Christ the Son. Did the prophets of old have such an understanding concerning prayer and the distinctions between the Son who was Jehovah and God the Father who Jehovah did stand in the stead of in all things? If so then that LORD which Habakkuk so first addresses is God the Eternal Father of Spirits though we know that the mediating Son Jehovah is whom or by whom and through whom the prayer is administered. 2^a revive thy work in the midst of the years While but a 'Hymn or Psalm' of praise, the question arises, in what depth and unto what understanding were Habakkak's words? The 'work' of God is to bring to pass the immortallity and eternal life of man, and this through the gospel of Jesus Christ wrought by the power of Christ's atonement. And we are to have that faith in Christ unto salvation. This is God's work. The midst of the years or the ages of time pertaining to Christ's generation is the meridian of time. Jesus Christ came in the meridian of time to the end of the redemption and salvation of mankind. Was Habakkuk's words unto this understanding and meaning, calling unto the Lord to work his great work of salvation, redemption and the performance of the atonment unto the 'reviving' of man from the fall? If so then this becomes quite a Messianic song of praise unto God.	4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5 ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah 5^a TG Nature, Earth ^b TG Spirit Creation ^c TG Creation ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of ^e Moses 3:5
3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount ^aParan. Selah^a. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4 And his brightness was as the light; *^ahe had horns coming* out of his hand^a*: and there was* the hiding of his power.	3^a Selah Selah is a musical 'que' defined as 'a technical musical term'. While thought by some to be a que to either pause, interrupt, of some sort of accentuation, its literal meaning is 'to lift up or exalt'. I would here suggest a more simple musical usage in terms of this chapter. The first 'Selah', I would suggest would be to the lifting up of the muscial intrument and the beginning to play the accompaniment or more simply stated, it is the que to begin or commence the song with music, transitioning from merely speaking to going into song. The second 'Selah' at the end of the 13^th verse would then be that musical que or inticator to cease the musical accompaniment or song sung and return to speaking without music. 4^a he had horns coming out of his hand This is quite a visionary picture of the power of God. The 'horns' coming out of his hand is that light of God's power extending from the hand of God. Just how that power of God works in such events as the creation or in any such great work which the Lord undertakes by the power of his hand may possibly actually be seen. Habakkuk or at least the Song of Testamony which he is singing here seems to have such an appreciation of just how and what it looks like for the power of God to so stream forth from his hand as 'horns or beams of light'. Did Habakkuk see such a sight? Did he see it in vision? Or is he singing a 'traditional' hymn come down out of Israel which is either an account of a prophet other than himself, perhaps of another's conprehension and visionary understanding. Or even is it an account of God's power experienced at some time by the children of Israel in their various events in the wilderness and mount of Paran?	4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5 ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah 5^a TG Nature, Earth ^b TG Spirit Creation ^c TG Creation ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of ^e Moses 3:5
Seemingly a Panoramic Visionary Experience This supposed 'hymn' seems to be more of an account of a vissionary experience, perhaps one which reflects either past or future events. The 'everlasting mountains and the perpetual hills' seem to be a reference to this land of Adam in America from a latter day perspective. Is this perception or vision speaking of such events at the coming day of the Lord?
5 Before him went the pestilence, and ^aburning coals went forth at his feet. 6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual ^ahills did bow: his ways are everlasting.		4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5 ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah 5^a TG Nature, Earth ^b TG Spirit Creation ^c TG Creation ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of ^e Moses 3:5
7 I saw the tents of ^aCushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of ^bMidian did tremble. 8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? 9 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
10 The ^amountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high. 11 The ^asun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.
12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. 13 Thou wentest forth for the ^asalvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou ^bwoundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.
14 Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly. 15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the ^aheap of great waters. 16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
17 ¶ Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my ^astrength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine ^bhigh places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.