{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/102/1020550.htm","path":"chr/ecf/102/1020550.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/102/1020550.htm","text":"Chapter 32.\u2014Of the Prophecy that is Contained in the Prayer and Song of Habakkuk.\nIn his prayer, with a song, to whom but the Lord Christ does he say, \u201cO Lord, I have heard Thy hearing, and was afraid: O Lord, I have considered Thy works, and was greatly afraid?\u201d 1173 What is this but the inexpressible admiration of the foreknown, new, and sudden salvation of men? \u201cIn the midst of two living creatures thou shalt be recognized.\u201d 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? \u201cWhile the years draw nigh, Thou wilt be recognized; at the coming of the time Thou wilt be shown,\u201d does not even need exposition. \u201cWhile my soul shall be p. 378 troubled at Him, in wrath Thou wilt be mindful of mercy.\u201d 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, \u201cFather, forgive them, for they know not what they do? 1174 \u201cGod shall come from Teman, and the Holy One from the shady and close mountain.\u201d 1175 What is said here, \u201cHe shall come from Teman,\u201d some interpret \u201cfrom the south,\u201d or \u201cfrom the southwest,\u201d by which is signified the noonday, that is, the fervor of charity and the splendor of truth. \u201cThe shady and close mountain\u201d 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. \u201cHis power covereth up the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise.\u201d What is this but what is also said in the psalm, \u201cBe Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; and Thy glory above all the earth?\u201d 1176 \u201cHis splendor shall be as the light.\u201d What is it but that the fame of Him shall illuminate believers? \u201cHorns are in His hands.\u201d What is this but the trophy of the cross? \u201cAnd He hath placed the firm charity of His strength\u201d 1177 needs no exposition. \u201cBefore His face shall go the word, and it shall go forth into the field after His feet.\u201d What is this but that He should both be announced before His coming hither and after His return hence? \u201cHe stood, and the earth was moved.\u201d What is this but that \u201cHe stood\u201d for succor, \u201cand the earth was moved\u201d to believe? \u201cHe regarded, and the nations melted;\u201d that is, He had compassion, and made the people penitent. \u201cThe mountains are broken with violence;\u201d that is, through the power of those who work miracles the pride of the haughty is broken. \u201cThe everlasting hills flowed down;\u201d that is, they are humbled in time that they may be lifted up for eternity. \u201cI saw His goings [made] eternal for his labors;\u201d that is, I beheld His labor of love not left without the reward of eternity. \u201cThe tents of Ethiopia shall be greatly afraid, and the tents of the land of Midian;\u201d 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. \u201cWert Thou angry at the rivers, O Lord? or was Thy fury against the rivers? or was Thy rage against the sea?\u201d This is said because He does not now come to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 1178 \u201cFor Thou shall mount upon Thy horses, and Thy riding shall be salvation;\u201d that is, Thine evangelists shall carry Thee, for they are guided by Thee, and Thy gospel is salvation to them that believe in Thee. \u201cBending, Thou wilt bend Thy bow against the sceptres, saith the Lord;\u201d that is, Thou wilt threaten even the kings of the earth with Thy judgment. \u201cThe earth shall be cleft with rivers;\u201d that is, by the sermons of those who preach Thee flowing in upon them, men\u2019s hearts shall be opened to make confession, to whom it is said, \u201cRend your hearts and not your garments.\u201d 1179 What does \u201cThe people shall see Thee and grieve\u201d mean, but that in mourning they shall be blessed? 1180 What is \u201cScattering the waters in marching,\u201d but that by walking in those who everywhere proclaim Thee, Thou wilt scatter hither and thither the streams of Thy doctrine? What is \u201cThe abyss uttered its voice?\u201d Is it not that the depth of the human heart expressed what it perceived? The words, \u201cThe depth of its phantasy,\u201d are an explanation of the previous verse, for the depth is the abyss; and \u201cUttered its voice\u201d 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. \u201cThe sun was raised up, and the moon stood still in her course;\u201d that is, Christ ascended into heaven, and the Church was established under her King. \u201cThy darts shall go in the light;\u201d that is, Thy words shall not be sent in secret, but openly. For He had said to His own disciples, \u201cWhat I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in the light.\u201d 1181 \u201cBy threatening thou shall diminish the earth;\u201d that is, by that threatening Thou shall humble men. \u201cAnd in fury Thou shall cast down the nations;\u201d for in punishing those who exalt themselves Thou dashest them one against another. \u201cThou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people, that Thou mightest save Thy Christ; Thou hast sent death on the heads of the wicked.\u201d None of these words require exposition. \u201cThou hast lifted up the bonds, even to the neck.\u201d 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. \u201cThou hast struck off in amazement of mind the bonds\u201d must be understood for, He p. 379 lifts up the good and strikes off the bad, about which it is said to Him, \u201cThou hast broken asunder my bonds,\u201d 1182 and that \u201cin amazement of mind,\u201d that is, wonderfully. \u201cThe heads of the mighty shall be moved in it;\u201d to wit, in that wonder. \u201cThey shall open their teeth like a poor man eating secretly.\u201d 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. \u201cAnd Thou hast sent into the sea Thy horses, troubling many waters,\u201d which are nothing else than many people; for unless all were troubled, some would not be converted with fear, others pursued with fury. \u201cI 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.\u201d 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, \u201cI shall rest in the day of tribulation,\u201d as being one of those who are rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation. 1183 \u201cThat I may ascend,\u201d he says, \u201camong the people of my pilgrimage,\u201d 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 \u201cAlthough the fig-tree,\u201d he says, \u201cshall 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.\u201d 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, \u201cYet 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,\u201d to wit, in that song of which something similar is said in the psalm, \u201cHe set my feet upon a rock, and directed my goings, and put in my mouth a new song, a hymn to our God.\u201d 1186 He therefore conquers in the song of the Lord, who takes pleasure in His praise, not in his own; that \u201cHe that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.\u201d 1187 But some copies have, \u201cI will joy in God my Jesus,\u201d 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.\nHeb. 11:13, 16.\n379:1185 379:1186 379:1187\nJer. 9:23, 24, as in 1 Cor. 1.31.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. II: City of God: Cha...","type":"page"}