Well, so I "jumped the gun". Of course, Habakkuk's just as good as Nahum and Joel. And Poole's commentary is excellent in it's instruction to us believers who find ourselves in various trials throughout our lives. For now, it's the trial of an unseen enemy, a virus. And for many, it's just inconvenient (I shudder even using that spoiled word!) But for a large portion of people, it's devastating in so many ways. Even believers are finding themselves perplexed and questioning their future.
In this book of Habakkuk, we find the famous phrase, "the just shall live by his faith" (2:4). It was a phrase that God used to change Martin Luther's life and our world. God's word does that over and over again and will continue until time is no more. And that faith is what this prophet was seeking to revive for himself and his people.
Habukkuk's prayer in chapter three is for himself and for his people because they erred. They were offended at the darkness of Divine Providences and needed pardon as well as instruction. In verse two, the phrase "make known" is an affectionate request to God to make known by His truth, wisdom, power or compassion that He is their God and still cares for them.
In 3:3, "His glory covers the heavens and the earth is full of His praise", the prophet mentions as a support for his own faith and an encouragement to others. And in verse sixteen, "that I might rest in the day of trouble", reminds them that fears awaken our remembrance of God; these fears have occasioned Habakkuk's search into the mystery of Providence, that understanding it, he might betake himself to God, that he may rest in Him Who will make it go well with the righteous, even those righteous who live to see and feel the troubles of those days.
By verse nineteen, the prophet had made a full profession of his faith and a resolution to "behave himself with joy" in the midst of troubles. And he knew that it would not be done in his own strength but it is because the LORD God is his strength. We must do the same. And though, it will be a constant effort, we must not lose hope because we can call continually. He knows we are but flesh. However, He gives us all the provision we need in His word and through prayer! The "just will live by faith" and must "behave ourselves with joy".
[Most all thoughts here were taken from Matthew Poole's commentary on the Bible.]
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