Habakkuk 3:10

The mountains saw thee, [and] they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, [and] lifted up his hands on high.

The mountains {H2022} saw {H7200} thee, and they trembled {H2342}: the overflowing {H2230} of the water {H4325} passed by {H5674}: the deep {H8415} uttered {H5414} his voice {H6963}, and lifted up {H5375} his hands {H3027} on high {H7315}.

The mountains see you and tremble; a torrent of water streams by; the deep thunders forth, as it raises enormous waves.

The mountains saw You and quaked; torrents of water swept by. The deep roared with its voice and lifted its hands on high.

The mountains saw thee, and were afraid; The tempest of waters passed by; The deep uttered its voice, And lifted up its hands on high.

Commentary

Commentary on Habakkuk 3:10 (KJV)

Habakkuk 3:10 is a powerful verse from the prophet Habakkuk's prayer or song of praise, found in chapter 3. This chapter is a magnificent display of faith and hope, even in the face of impending judgment by the Babylonians, which God had revealed to Habakkuk. The prophet recounts God's majestic appearances and mighty acts throughout history, particularly those associated with the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings, to bolster his faith and the faith of his people. Verse 10 paints a vivid, personified picture of creation's awe-struck reaction to the presence and power of the Almighty.

Context

Chapter 3 of Habakkuk serves as the prophet's response to God's answers in chapters 1 and 2, where God revealed His plan to use the wicked Babylonians to punish Judah, and then to punish Babylon itself. Despite the terrifying nature of these prophecies, Habakkuk chooses to "rejoice in the Lord" (Habakkuk 3:18). This prayer is a poetic and dramatic recounting of God's past interventions, designed to instill confidence in His unchanging character and ultimate victory. Verse 10 fits within a larger description of God's glorious descent and the cosmic disturbance His presence brings, emphasizing His control over all creation.

Key Themes

  • God's Awesome Power and Majesty: The verse powerfully illustrates God's overwhelming might, before which even the most formidable natural elements (mountains, deep waters) react with fear and submission. This highlights the sovereignty of God over all creation.
  • Theophany and Divine Presence: The trembling mountains and the personified deep are responses to a divine manifestation. This imagery is common in descriptions of God's appearances, such as at Mount Sinai in Exodus 19:18.
  • Nature's Acknowledgment of God: The verse uses striking personification: mountains "trembled," the deep "uttered his voice," and "lifted up his hands on high." This poetic language signifies that all of creation inherently recognizes and bows before its Creator, offering a profound testimony to His glory.
  • Divine Judgment and Control: While beautiful, this imagery also speaks to God's power to bring about judgment and His absolute control over the forces that might otherwise seem chaotic or uncontrollable.

Linguistic Insights

  • "trembled": The Hebrew word here (*chรปl* or *แธฅรฎl*) can convey trembling due to pain, fear, or even the throes of labor. It suggests an intense, involuntary reaction of distress or awe in the presence of overwhelming power.
  • "the overflowing of the water passed by": This phrase might allude to specific historical events where God's power controlled vast waters, such as the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21) or the stopping of the Jordan River (Joshua 3:16), reinforcing the idea of God's dominion over nature.
  • "the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high": This is a particularly vivid and poetic personification. The "deep" (Hebrew: *tฤ›hรดm*) refers to the primordial depths or vast oceans. Its "voice" and "hands lifted on high" depict it as a sentient being acknowledging, perhaps in fear or submission, the supreme authority of God. It's an act of profound reverence or surrender.

Practical Application

For believers today, Habakkuk 3:10 offers several comforting and challenging applications:

  • Trust in God's Unchanging Power: If mountains and oceans respond to God's presence, how much more can we trust Him with our personal struggles and global uncertainties? This verse encourages us to remember that the God who controls the cosmos is the same God who cares for His people.
  • Reverence and Awe: The passage calls us to a deeper sense of awe and reverence for God. If creation trembles before Him, we too should approach Him with respect and wonder, recognizing His immeasurable greatness.
  • Hope in Difficult Times: Habakkuk penned this prayer when facing national devastation. The verse reminds us that God's power displayed in the past is a guarantee for His faithfulness in the future. We can find hope and strength in His sovereignty, even when circumstances are dire.
  • Worship and Praise: The dramatic imagery serves as a call to worship. Just as the natural world implicitly acknowledges God, so too should our lives be a testament to His glory and power.
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Cross-References

  • Psalms 93:3

    The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

  • Hebrews 11:29

    By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry [land]: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

  • Jeremiah 4:24

    I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.

  • Isaiah 43:20

    The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

  • Psalms 98:7

    Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

  • Psalms 98:8

    Let the floods clap [their] hands: let the hills be joyful together

  • Matthew 27:51

    And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;