13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, For the salvation of thine anointed; Thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked man, Laying bare the foundation even unto the neck. Selah.
He will judge among the nations, He will fill `the places' with dead bodies; He will strike through the head in many countries.
`Saying', Touch not mine anointed ones, And do my prophets no harm.
Then he remembered the days of old, Moses `and' his people, `saying', Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit in the midst of them?
He sent Moses his servant, `And' Aaron whom he had chosen.
Then thou spakest in vision to thy saints, And saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant; With my holy oil have I anointed him: With whom my hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen him.
Thou leddest thy people like a flock, By the hand of Moses and Aaron. Psalm 78 Maschil of Asaph.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily beareth our burden, Even the God who is our salvation. Selah God is unto us a God of deliverances; And unto Jehovah the Lord belongeth escape from death. But God will smite through the head of his enemies, The hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his guiltiness. The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring `them' again from the depths of the sea; That thou mayest crush `them', `dipping' thy foot in blood, That the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from `thine' enemies.
O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah
And it came to pass at midnight, that Jehovah smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
Now know I that Jehovah saveth his anointed; He will answer him from his holy heaven With the saving strength of his right hand.
I will pursue mine enemies, and overtake them; Neither will I turn again till they are consumed. I will smite them through, so that they shall not be able to rise: They shall fall under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, That I might cut off them that hate me. They cried, but there was none to save; Even unto Jehovah, but he answered them not. Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the mire of the streets. Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; Thou hast made me the head of the nations: A people whom I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me; The foreigners shall submit themselves unto me. The foreigners shall fade away, And shall come trembling out of their close places.
And Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they smote them, and chased them unto great Sidon, and unto Misrephoth-maim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.
And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because Jehovah, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
And it came to pass, when they brought forth those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the chiefs of the men of war that went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, that Jehovah cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto Jehovah, and spake, saying, I will sing unto Jehovah, for he hath triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. Jehovah is my strength and song, And he is become my salvation: This is my God, and I will praise him; My father's God, and I will exalt him.
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. Jehovah will fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Habakkuk 3
Commentary on Habakkuk 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
Still the correspondence is kept up between God and his prophet. In the first chapter he spoke to God, then God to him, and then he to God again; in the second chapter God spoke wholly to him by the Spirit of prophecy; now, in this chapter, he speaks wholly to God by the Spirit of prayer, for he would not let the intercourse drop on his side, like a genuine son of Abraham, who "returned not to his place until God had left communing with him.' Gen. 18:33. The prophet's prayer, in this chapter, is in imitation of David's psalms, for it is directed "to the chief musician,' and is set to musical instruments. The prayer is left upon record for the use of the church, and particularly of the Jews in their captivity, while they were waiting for their deliverance, promised by the vision in the foregoing chapter.
Hab 3:1-2
This chapter is entitled a prayer of Habakkuk. It is a meditation with himself, an intercession for the church. Prophets were praying men; this prophet was so (He is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, Gen. 20:7); and sometimes they prayed for even those whom they prophesied against. Those that were intimately acquainted with the mind of God concerning future events knew better than others how to order their prayers, and what to pray for, and, in the foresight of troublous times, could lay up a stock of prayers that might then receive a gracious answer, and so be serving the church by their prayers when their prophesying was over. This prophet had found God ready to answer his requests and complaints before, and therefore now repeats his applications to him. Because God has inclined his ear to us, we must resolve that therefore we will call upon him as long as we live.
Hab 3:3-15
It has been the usual practice of God's people, when they have been in distress and ready to fall into despair, to help themselves by recollecting their experiences, and reviving them, considering the days of old, and the years of ancient times (Ps. 77:5), and pleading with God in prayer, as he is pleased sometimes to plead them with himself. Isa. 63:11, Then he remembered the days of old. This is that which the prophet does here, and he looks as far back as the first forming of them into a people, when they were brought by miracles out of Egypt, a house of bondage, through the wilderness, a land of drought, into Canaan, then possessed by mighty nations. He that thus brought them at first into Canaan, through so much difficulty, can now bring them thither again out of Babylon, how great soever the difficulties are that lie in the way. Those works of wonder, wrought of old, are here most magnificently described, for the greater encouragement to the faith of God's people in their present straits.
Hab 3:16-19
Within the compass of these few lines we have the prophet in the highest degree both of trembling and triumphing, such are the varieties both of the state and of the spirit of God's people in this world. In heaven there shall be no more trembling, but everlasting triumphs.