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| Of the Prophecy that is Contained in the Prayer and Song of Habakkuk.
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Chapter 32.—Of the Prophecy that
is Contained in the Prayer and Song of Habakkuk.
In his prayer, with a song, to whom
but the Lord Christ does he say, “O Lord, I have heard Thy
hearing, and was afraid: O Lord, I have considered Thy works, and
was greatly afraid?”1173
What is this but the
inexpressible admiration of the foreknown, new, and sudden
salvation of men? “In the midst of two living creatures thou
shalt be recognized.” What is this but either between the two
testaments, or between the two thieves, or between Moses and Elias
talking with Him on the mount? “While the years draw nigh, Thou
wilt be recognized; at the coming of the time Thou wilt be
shown,” does not even need exposition. “While my soul shall
be
troubled at Him, in wrath Thou wilt be mindful of
mercy.” What is this but that He puts Himself for the Jews, of
whose nation He was, who were troubled with great anger and
crucified Christ, when He, mindful of mercy, said, “Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do?1174
“God shall come from Teman,
and the Holy One from the shady and close mountain.”1175
What is
said here, “He shall come from Teman,” some interpret “from
the south,” or “from the southwest,” by which is signified
the noonday, that is, the fervor of charity and the splendor of
truth. “The shady and close mountain” might be understood in
many ways, yet I prefer to take it as meaning the depth of the
divine Scriptures, in which Christ is prophesied: for in the
Scriptures there are many things shady and close which exercise the
mind of the reader; and Christ comes thence when he who has
understanding finds Him there. “His power covereth up the
heavens, and the earth is full of His praise.” What is this but
what is also said in the psalm, “Be Thou exalted, O God, above
the heavens; and Thy glory above all the earth?”1176
“His
splendor shall be as the light.” What is it but that the fame
of Him shall illuminate believers? “Horns are in His
hands.” What is this but the trophy of the cross? “And He
hath placed the firm charity of His strength”1177
needs no exposition. “Before
His face shall go the word, and it shall go forth into the field
after His feet.” What is this but that He should both be
announced before His coming hither and after His return hence?
“He stood, and the earth was moved.” What is this but that
“He stood” for succor, “and the earth was moved” to
believe? “He regarded, and the nations melted;” that is, He
had compassion, and made the people penitent. “The mountains
are broken with violence;” that is, through the power of those
who work miracles the pride of the haughty is broken. “The
everlasting hills flowed down;” that is, they are humbled in time
that they may be lifted up for eternity. “I saw His goings
[made] eternal for his labors;” that is, I beheld His labor of
love not left without the reward of eternity. “The tents of
Ethiopia shall be greatly afraid, and the tents of the land of
Midian;” that is, even those nations which are not under the
Roman authority, being suddenly terrified by the news of Thy
wonderful works, shall become a Christian people. “Wert Thou
angry at the rivers, O Lord? or was Thy fury against the rivers? or
was Thy rage against the sea?” This is said because He does not
now come to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might
be saved.1178
“For
Thou shall mount upon Thy horses, and Thy riding shall be
salvation;” that is, Thine evangelists shall carry Thee, for they
are guided by Thee, and Thy gospel is salvation to them that
believe in Thee. “Bending, Thou wilt bend Thy bow against the
sceptres, saith the Lord;” that is, Thou wilt threaten even the
kings of the earth with Thy judgment. “The earth shall be cleft
with rivers;” that is, by the sermons of those who preach Thee
flowing in upon them, men’s hearts shall be opened to make
confession, to whom it is said, “Rend your hearts and not your
garments.”1179
What
does “The people shall see Thee and grieve” mean, but that in
mourning they shall be blessed?1180
What is “Scattering the waters
in marching,” but that by walking in those who everywhere
proclaim Thee, Thou wilt scatter hither and thither the streams of
Thy doctrine? What is “The abyss uttered its voice?” Is it
not that the depth of the human heart expressed what it
perceived? The words, “The depth of its phantasy,” are an
explanation of the previous verse, for the depth is the abyss; and
“Uttered its voice” is to be understood before them, that is,
as we have said, it expressed what it perceived. Now the phantasy
is the vision, which it did not hold or conceal, but poured forth
in confession. “The sun was raised up, and the moon stood still
in her course;” that is, Christ ascended into heaven, and the
Church was established under her King. “Thy darts shall go in
the light;” that is, Thy words shall not be sent in secret, but
openly. For He had said to His own disciples, “What I tell you
in darkness, that speak ye in the light.”1181
“By threatening thou shall
diminish the earth;” that is, by that threatening Thou shall
humble men. “And in fury Thou shall cast down the nations;”
for in punishing those who exalt themselves Thou dashest them one
against another. “Thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy
people, that Thou mightest save Thy Christ; Thou hast sent death on
the heads of the wicked.” None of these words require
exposition. “Thou hast lifted up the bonds, even to the
neck.” This may be understood even of the good bonds of wisdom,
that the feet may be put into its fetters, and the neck into its
collar. “Thou hast struck off in amazement of mind the bonds”
must be understood for, He
lifts up the good and strikes
off the bad, about which it is said to Him, “Thou hast broken
asunder my bonds,”1182
and that “in amazement of
mind,” that is, wonderfully. “The heads of the mighty shall
be moved in it;” to wit, in that wonder. “They shall open
their teeth like a poor man eating secretly.” For some of the
mighty among the Jews shall come to the Lord, admiring His works
and words, and shall greedily eat the bread of His doctrine in
secret for fear of the Jews, just as the Gospel has shown they
did. “And Thou hast sent into the sea Thy horses, troubling
many waters,” which are nothing else than many people; for unless
all were troubled, some would not be converted with fear, others
pursued with fury. “I gave heed, and my belly trembled at the
voice of the prayer of my lips; and trembling entered into my
bones, and my habit of body was troubled under me.” He gave
heed to those things which he said, and was himself terrified at
his own prayer, which he had poured forth prophetically, and in
which he discerned things to come. For when many people are
troubled, he saw the threatening tribulation of the Church, and at
once acknowledged himself a member of it, and said, “I shall rest
in the day of tribulation,” as being one of those who are
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation.1183
“That I may ascend,” he
says, “among the people of my pilgrimage,” departing quite from
the wicked people of his carnal kinship, who are not pilgrims in
this earth, and do not seek the country above.1184
“Although the fig-tree,” he
says, “shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines;
the labor of the olive shall lie, and the fields shall yield no
meat; the sheep shall be cut off from the meat, and there shall be
no oxen in the stalls.” He sees that nation which was to slay
Christ about to lose the abundance of spiritual supplies, which, in
prophetic fashion, he has set forth by the figure of earthly
plenty. And because that nation was to suffer such wrath of God,
because, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, it wished to
establish its own,1185
he immediately says, “Yet will I
rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in God my salvation. The Lord God
is my strength, and He will set my feet in completion; He will
place me above the heights, that I may conquer in His song,” to
wit, in that song of which something similar is said in the psalm,
“He set my feet upon a rock, and directed my goings, and put in
my mouth a new song, a hymn to our God.”1186
He therefore conquers in the
song of the Lord, who takes pleasure in His praise, not in his own;
that “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”1187
But some
copies have, “I will joy in God my Jesus,” which seems to me
better than the version of those who, wishing to put it in Latin,
have not set down that very name which for us it is dearer and
sweeter to name.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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