Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 16
Verſ 16. Hab. …. 6.When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenneſſe entred into my bones, and I trembled in my ſelf, that I might reſt in the day of trouble, when he cometh up unto his people, he will invade them with his troops.
AT this verſe beginneth the third Section of this Chapter, and it conteineth the conſternation of the Prophet dejected before the Lord, with the former conſiderations and the ſad eſtate of the land of Canaan.
1 Concerning the words.
When I heard.] The Prophet fitting this Pſalme as you have heard for the common uſe of the Church, doth not ſpeak in this place in his own perſon perticularly, When I heard] but in the perſon of that Church of God to which this prophecy was ſent. Verſe 14.
They came out as a whirlwind to ſcatter me,] is ſpoken of the Midianites, invading Gods people, not the Prophet Habak.
So that Theard, here is collectively the whole Church, and perticularly every member thereof.
But what is that is here heard?
Surely this hath a double reference.
1 To the former prophecy, of Gods threatned judgments againſt his people, of which you heard before, Verſe 2. O Lord, I have heard thy ſpeech, and was afraid.
For it was a fearfull judgment, which God had denounced againſt them.
2 It hath reference to the full commemoration of Gods former mercies, for howſoever faith may grow upon this root of experience of Gods favour, yet when the Church of God ſhall conſider all that former favour now turned into indignation, and ſhall feel that power, which once protected them ſo miraculouſly now armed againſt them, this cannot but caſt them into great fear.
This fear is deſcribed fully and rhetorically in four ſeverall phraſes.
1 My belly trembled,
2 My lips quivered;
3 Rottenneſſe entred into my bones:
4 I trembled in my ſelf.
It is the manner of the ſpirit of God in ſuch like phraſes to expreſſe a great horrour and diſmay, by the belly is meant the inward parts and bowels.
So the Prophet upon the denunciation of the burthen upon the deſert ſea ſaith;
Therefore, are my loyns filled with pain, Iſai. 21.3.pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth, I was bowed down at the hearing of it, I was diſmayed at the ſeeing of it.
My bowels ſhall ſound like an harp for Moab,Iſa. 16.11. and mine inward parts for Kirhareſh.
So Job, Job 30.27.My bowels boyled and reſted not.
And David, Mine eye is conſumed with grief, yea, Pſal. 31.9.my ſoul and belly.
I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joynt, Pſ. 2.14.my heart is like waxe it is melted in the middeſt of my bowels.
Thus the perturbations of griefe and fear, and the paſſions of anguiſh are expreſt.
The quivering of the lips which hindereth ſpeech, ſheweth a man overcome with anger, fear, or grief, ſo doth,
The generall diſabling of the body, as if the parts thereof, the brains and ſinews ſuffered luxation and debilitation.
And the earth-quake in the whole frame thereof, and the diſtemper of the man within us. I trembled in my ſelf, that is the inward man, the hid man of the heart felt this anguiſh of grief and fear, and all this trepidation and terrour had this good effect following.
That I might reſt in the day of trouble.]
For of ſufferance comes eaſe, this fear of the heavy hand of God is but a fit, for faith followeth it, and conſumeth it, and ſetleth the heart in a yielding to the mighty hand of God, and that giveth reſt in the day of trouble, that day is alſo deſcribed.
When he commeth up unto his people, he will invade them with his troops.]
Either when God cometh, or when the enemy whom God ſhall employ in the execution of this judgment cometh, he will invade his people that have rebelled againſt him, and are fallen away from him with troops, that is, hee will come upon them with a full power to make a full conqueſt of them.
This day is is further deſcribed in the verſe following.