3 God's on his way again, retracing the old salvation route, Coming up from the south through Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Skies are blazing with his splendor, his praises sounding through the earth, 4 His cloud-brightness like dawn, exploding, spreading, forked-lightning shooting from his hand - what power hidden in that fist! 5 Plague marches before him, pestilence at his heels! 6 He stops. He shakes Earth. He looks around. Nations tremble. The age-old mountains fall to pieces; ancient hills collapse like a spent balloon. The paths God takes are older than the oldest mountains and hills. 7 I saw everyone worried, in a panic: Old wilderness adversaries, Cushan and Midian, were terrified, hoping he wouldn't notice them. 8 God, is it River you're mad at? Angry at old River? Were you raging at Sea when you rode horse and chariot through to salvation? 9 You unfurled your bow and let loose a volley of arrows. You split Earth with rivers. 10 Mountains saw what was coming. They twisted in pain. Flood Waters poured in. Ocean roared and reared huge waves. 11 Sun and Moon stopped in their tracks. Your flashing arrows stopped them, your lightning-strike spears impaled them. 12 Angry, you stomped through Earth. Furious, you crushed the godless nations. 13 You were out to save your people, to save your specially chosen people. You beat the stuffing out of King Wicked, Stripped him naked from head to toe, 14 Set his severed head on his own spear and blew away his army. Scattered they were to the four winds - and ended up food for the sharks! 15 You galloped through the Sea on your horses, racing on the crest of the waves.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:3-15
Commentary on Habakkuk 3:3-15
(Read Habakkuk 3:3-15)
God's people, when in distress, and ready to despair, seek help by considering the days of old, and the years of ancient times, and by pleading them with God in prayer. The resemblance between the Babylonish and Egyptian captivities, naturally presents itself to the mind, as well as the possibility of a like deliverance through the power of Jehovah. God appeared in his glory. All the powers of nature are shaken, and the course of nature changed, but all is for the salvation of God's own people. Even what seems least likely, shall be made to work for their salvation. Hereby is given a type and figure of the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ. It is for salvation with thine anointed. Joshua who led the armies of Israel, was a figure of Him whose name he bare, even Jesus, our Joshua. In all the salvations wrought for them, God looked upon Christ the Anointed, and brought deliverances to pass by him. All the wonders done for Israel of old, were nothing to that which was done when the Son of God suffered on the cross for the sins of his people. How glorious his resurrection and ascension! And how much more glorious will be his second coming, to put an end to all that opposes him, and all that causes suffering to his people!