SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:19
El Señor DIOS es mi fortaleza, el cual pondrá mis pies como de ciervas, y sobre mis alturas me hará andar victorioso en mis instrumentos de música.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:19
Verse 19. The Lord God is my strength] This is an imitation, if not a quotation, from Psa xviii. 32, 33, where see the notes. Will make me to walk upon mine high places] This last verse is spoken in the person of the people, who seem to anticipate their restoration; and that they shall once more rejoice in the hills and mountains of Judea.
To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.] This line, which is evidently a superscription, leads me to suppose that when the prophet had completed his short ode, he folded it up, with the above direction to the master singer, or leader of the choir, to be sung in the temple service.
Many of the Psalms are directed in the same way. "To the master singer;" or, "chief musician;" to be sung, according to their nature, on different kinds of instruments, or with particular airs or tunes.
Neginoth, twnygn which we translate stringed instruments, means such as were struck with a plectrum, or excited by some kind of friction or pulsation; as violins and cymbals or tambarines are. I do not think that the line makes any part of the prophecy, but merely the supersscription or direction of the work when it was finished. The ending will appear much more dignified, this line being separated from it.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. The Lord God [is] my strength , etc.] The author and giver of natural and spiritual strength, as he is to all his people; he is the strength of their hearts when ready to faint and sink, and of their graces, faith, hope, love, patience, etc. and continues and increases them, and draws them forth into lively acts and exercise; and of their lives, natural and spiritual, which he supports and maintains, secures and defends; from him they have their strength to perform the duties of religion; to oppose their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world; and to bear them up under all trials and afflictions, and carry them through them, and deliver out of them, and which is principally intended here: the church, though in distress, and pressed with sorrows, yet believed the strength of Christ would be made perfect in her weakness, and she should be upheld by him under all, and brought out of it: and he will make my feet like hinds’ [feet] ; swift as they, as the Targum, which are very swift; and on account of the swiftness of them is the comparison used: and which is to be understood, not barely of the Jews being swift of foot to return to their own country, when the time of their conversion is come; or to pursue their enemies, as Kimchi; that is, Gog or the Turks, having got the victory over them: but of all Christians, whose feet will be swift to run, in a lively cheerful manner, the way of Christ’s commandments; their souls being strengthened, and their hearts enlarged with the love and grace of God; and to surmount with ease all difficulties and obstructions that lie in their way: and chiefly this regards the ministers of the Gospel, and the swift progress they will make in spreading it in the world; as the apostles and first ministers of the word, having their feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, went swiftly through all parts of the world, even to the ends of the earth, with it; so in the latter day many will run to and fro, everywhere preaching the everlasting Gospel to all nations; the knowledge of it shall greatly increase; (see Daniel 12:4 Revelation 14:6) this passage seems to be taken out of ( Psalm 18:33) and there may be not only an allusion to the swiftness of those creatures, but to the strength and firmness of their feet; so that they can go upon rocks and mountains securely, and tread and walk, and even run upon them with safety; and this sense is directed to, not only by what follows, concerning “walking” on “high places”; but by the word here used, which signifies to “make”, or “set”, fix, place, order, and settle f146 ; and this agrees with the nature of those creatures, whose feet are not only swift, but firm; they tread sure and stable; hence hinds and harts are by the poets called the “brasen footed hinds”, or “harts”; because of the firmness and stability of their going; and it is an observation of Jarchi’s f148 , that the feet of the females stand firmer and more upright than the feet of the males; wherefore, both here, and in ( Psalm 18:33), not harts, but hinds, are made mention of; and so this may also denote the stability of the saints in those times, both ministers and common Christians, in the exercise of grace, and in the performance of duty; their hearts will be established in the faith of Christ, and in love to him, and in the hope of eternal life by him; all which they will be settled in, and will hold fast, and not let go; and will be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord their God; and so in the Gospel of Christ, and in the ordinances of it, their souls will be established in and with the doctrines of grace, and will continue steadfastly in them, and abide by and keep the ordinances as they have been delivered to them; nor will any difficulties, which may seem like hills and mountains, and cragged rocks, deter or discourage them, or move them from the hope of the Gospel, or from their duty; but they shall walk on securely and firmly: and he will make me to walk upon mine high places : meaning not so much the high places of the land of Judea, some part of it being mountainous, though there may be some reference to them; but it signifies the exalted state of the church after the troublesome times, when it shall be exalted above the hills, and established on the top of the mountains; when Christ the Lamb, with his 144,000 sealed ones, shall stand upon Mount Zion with harps in their hands, having gotten the victory over the antichristian beast and his image; and when the saints shall have the dominion of the world; and the kingdom and the greatness of it, under the whole heaven, shall be given to them, ( Isaiah 2:2 Revelation 14:1 15:1 Daniel 7:27) as well as they shall be in lively, spiritual, and heavenly frames of soul; mount up with wings, as eagles; soar aloft in the exercise of faith; dwell on high in the contemplation of divine things; have their affections set on things above; and their conversation in heaven while they are on earth: especially this may be said of them when they shall have the glory of God upon them in the New Jerusalem state, and shall dwell in the new heavens and the new earth, with Christ at the head of them; and when they shall possess the ultimate glory in the highest heavens to all eternity; (see Deuteronomy 33:29) and thus ends this prayer of Habakkuk; which serves to draw out the desires of good men after the flourishing estate of the kingdom and interest of Christ; to assist their faith in the belief, hope, and expectation of it; and to lead their views to its summit and perfection, notwithstanding all the difficulties and discouragements that may lie in its way: and being of so much moment and importance, that it might remain and continue, and be of use to the church in succeeding ages, the prophet delivered or directed it to the chief singer , to be set to tune, and sung by him, as David’s prayers, and others, sometimes were, and to be preserved for future usefulness; and this he would have sung (he says) on my stringed instruments ; which were either invented by him, or used by him in the temple, or were his own property: or he sent this prayer or ode to him who was over these instruments, had the care and use of them; and which were such as were to be stricken with the hand, bone, or quill; and are the same that are called “Neginoth” in the title of the fourth Psalm ( Psalm 4:1), and others.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-19 - When we see a day of trouble approach, it concerns us to prepare. good hope through grace is founded in holy fear. The prophet looke back upon the experiences of the church in former ages, and observe what great things God had done for them, and so was not only recovered but filled with holy joy. He resolved to delight and triumph in the Lord; for when all is gone, his God is not gone. Destroy the vines an the fig-trees, and you make all the mirth of a carnal heart to cease But those who, when full, enjoyed God in all, when emptied and poor can enjoy all in God. They can sit down upon the heap of the ruins of their creature-comforts, and even then praise the Lord, as the God of their salvation, the salvation of the soul, and rejoice in him as such in their greatest distresses. Joy in the Lord is especially seasonabl when we meet with losses and crosses in the world. Even when provision are cut off, to make it appear that man lives not by bread alone, we may be supplied by the graces and comforts of God's Spirit. Then we shall be strong for spiritual warfare and work, and with enlargement of heart may run the way of his commandments, and outrun our troubles. An we shall be successful in spiritual undertakings. Thus the prophet, wh began his prayer with fear and trembling, ends it with joy and triumph And thus faith in Christ prepares for every event. The name of Jesus when we can speak of Him as ours, is balm for every wound, a cordia for every care. It is as ointment poured forth, shedding fragranc through the whole soul. In the hope of a heavenly crown, let us sin loose to earthly possessions and comforts, and cheerfully bear up unde crosses. Yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and wil not tarry; and where he is, we shall be also __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
יהוה 3069 אדני 136 חילי 2428 וישׂם 7760 רגלי 7272 כאילות 355 ועל 5921 במותי 1116 ידרכני 1869 למנצח 5329 בנגינותי׃ 5058
