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Selected Verse: Habakkuk 2:20 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Hab 2:20 |
Strong Concordance |
But the LORD [03068] is in his holy [06944] temple [01964]: let all the earth [0776] keep silence [02013] before [06440] him. |
| |
King James |
But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
But the Lord--JEHOVAH; in striking contrast with the idols.
in his holy temple--"His place" (Isa 26:21); heaven (Psa 11:4; Jon 2:7; Mic 1:2). The temple at Jerusalem is a type of it, and there God is to be worshipped. He does not lie hid under gold and silver, as the idols of Babylon, but reigns in heaven and fills heaven, and thence succors His people.
keep silence--in token of reverent submission and subjection to His judgments (Job 40:4; Psa 76:8; Zep 1:7; Zac 2:13).
This sublime ode begins with an exordium (Hab 3:1-2), then follows the main subject, then the peroration (Hab 3:16-19), a summary of the practical truth, which the whole is designed to teach. (Deu 33:2-5; Psa 77:13-20 are parallel odes). This was probably designed by the Spirit to be a fit formula of prayer for the people, first in their Babylonian exile, and now in their dispersion, especially towards the close of it, just before the great Deliverer is to interpose for them. It was used in public worship, as the musical term, "Selah!" (Hab 3:3, Hab 3:9, Hab 3:13), implies. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
And now having declared the nothingness of all which is not God, the power of man or his gods, he answers again his own question, by summoning all before the presence of the majesty of God.
But the Lord - He had, in condemning them, pictured the tumult of the world, the oppressions, the violence, bloodsheddings, covetousness, insolence, self-aggrandizement of the then world-empire, and had denounced woe upon it; we see man framing his idols, praying to the lifeless stones; and God, of whom none thought, where was He? These were people's ways. "But the Lord," he joins it on, as the complement and corrective of all this confusion.
The Lord is in His holy temple - awaiting, in His long-suffering, to judge. "The temple of God" is where God enshrines Himself, or allows Himself to be seen and adored. "God is wholly everywhere, the whole of Him no where." There is no contrast between His temple on earth, and His temple in heaven. He is not more locally present in heaven than in earth. It were as anthropomorphic but less pious to think of God, as confined, localized, in heaven as on earth; because it would be simply removing God away from man. Solomon knew, when he built the temple, that "the heaven and heaven of heavens could not contain Kg1 8:27 God." The "holy temple," which could be destroyed Psa 79:1, toward which people were to pray Psa 5:7; Psa 138:2; Jon 2:4, was the visible temple Kg1 8:29-30, Kg1 8:35, Kg1 8:38, Kg1 8:42, Kg1 8:44, Kg1 8:48, where were the symbols of God's Presence, and of the stoning Sacrifice; but lest His presence should be localized, Solomon's repeated prayer is Kg1 8:30, Kg1 8:39, Kg1 8:43, Kg1 8:49, "hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place" Kg1 8:32, Kg1 8:34, Kg1 8:36, Kg1 8:45; "hear Thou in heaven." There is then no difference, as though in earlier books the "holy temple" meant that at Jerusalem, in the later, "the heavens?" In the confession at the offering of the "third year's tithes," the prayer is, Deu 27:15, "look down from Thy holy habitation, from heaven;" and David says, "the Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven" Psa 11:4; and, Psa 18:6, Psa 18:9 : "He heard my voice out of His temple - He bowed the heavens also and came down;" and, Psa 29:9, "In His temple doth everyone say, Glory." The simple words are identical though not in the same order as those, in which David, in the same contrast with the oppression of man, ushers in the judgment and final retribution to good and bad, by declaring the unseen presence of God upon His Throne in heaven, beholding and testing the sons of men.
In His Presence, all the mysteries of our being are solved.
The Lord is in His holy Temple - not, as the idols in temples made with hands, but revealing Himself in the visible temple (Jerome), "dwelling in the Son, by Nature and Union, as He saith Joh 14:10, "The Father who dwelleth in Me doeth the works;" in each one of the bodies and souls of the saints by His Spirit Co1 6:19, in the Blessed, in glory; in the Heavens, by the more evident appearance of His Majesty and the workings of His Power ; "everywhere by Essence, Presence, and Power, 'for in Him we live, and move, and have our being;' nowhere as confined or inclosed." Since then God is in Heaven, beholding the deeds of people, Himself Unchangeable, Almighty, All-holy, "let all the earth keep silence before Him," literally, "hush before Him all the earth," waiting from Him in hushed stillness the issue of this tangled state of being. And to the hashed soul, hushed to itself and its own thought, hushed in awe of His Majesty and "His Presence, before His face," God speaks . |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| The Lord - He is Jehovah, the fountain of being, life, power, and salvation to his people. Keep silence - Fear, submit, and depend on him; let his enemies be silent, reverence, hope, pray and wait for him, who will arise and have mercy on them, who will make it to be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked, who will fully and satisfactorily solve the doubts, and unfold the riddles of his providence. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
The Lord is in his holy temple - Jehovah has his temple, the place where he is to be worshipped; but there there is no image. Oracles, however, are given forth; and every word of them is truth, and is fulfilled in its season. And this temple and its worship are holy; no abomination can be practiced there, and every thing in it leads to holiness of heart and life.
Let all the earth keep silence before him - Let all be dumb. Let none of them dare to open their mouths in the presence of Jehovah. He alone is Sovereign. He alone is the arbiter of life and death. Let all hear his commands with the deepest respect, obey them with the promptest diligence, and worship him with the most profound reverence. When an Asiatic sovereign goes to the mosque on any of the eastern festivals, such as the Bairham, the deepest silence reigns among all his retinue, viziers, foreign ambassadors, etc. They all bow respectfully before him; but no word is spoken, no sound uttered. It is to this species of reverence that the prophet alludes, and with this he concludes the prophetic part of this book. What God has threatened or promised, that he will fulfill. Let every soul bow before him, and submit to his authority. |
13 Thou wentest forth [03318] for the salvation [03468] of thy people [05971], even for salvation [03468] with thine anointed [04899]; thou woundedst [04272] the head [07218] out of the house [01004] of the wicked [07563], by discovering [06168] the foundation [03247] unto the neck [06677]. Selah [05542].
9 Thy bow [07198] was made quite [06181] naked [05783], according to the oaths [07621] of the tribes [04294], even thy word [0562]. Selah [05542]. Thou didst cleave [01234] the earth [0776] with rivers [05104].
3 God [0433] came [0935] from Teman [08487], and the Holy One [06918] from mount [02022] Paran [06290]. Selah [05542]. His glory [01935] covered [03680] the heavens [08064], and the earth [0776] was full [04390] of his praise [08416].
13 Thy way [01870], O God [0430], is in the sanctuary [06944]: who is so great [01419] a God [0410] as our God [0430]?
14 Thou art the God [0410] that doest [06213] wonders [06382]: thou hast declared [03045] thy strength [05797] among the people [05971].
15 Thou hast with thine arm [02220] redeemed [01350] thy people [05971], the sons [01121] of Jacob [03290] and Joseph [03130]. Selah [05542].
16 The waters [04325] saw [07200] thee, O God [0430], the waters [04325] saw [07200] thee; they were afraid [02342]: the depths [08415] also were troubled [07264].
17 The clouds [05645] poured out [02229] water [04325]: the skies [07834] sent out [05414] a sound [06963]: thine arrows [02687] also went abroad [01980].
18 The voice [06963] of thy thunder [07482] was in the heaven [01534]: the lightnings [01300] lightened [0215] the world [08398]: the earth [0776] trembled [07264] and shook [07493].
19 Thy way [01870] is in the sea [03220], and thy path [07635] in the great [07227] waters [04325], and thy footsteps [06119] are not known [03045].
20 Thou leddest [05148] thy people [05971] like a flock [06629] by the hand [03027] of Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175].
2 And he said [0559], The LORD [03068] came [0935] from Sinai [05514], and rose up [02224] from Seir [08165] unto them; he shined forth [03313] from mount [02022] Paran [06290], and he came [0857] with ten thousands [07233] of saints [06944]: from his right hand [03225] went a fiery [0799] [0784] law [01881] for them.
3 Yea [0637], he loved [02245] the people [05971]; all his saints [06918] are in thy hand [03027]: and they sat down [08497] at thy feet [07272]; every one shall receive [05375] of thy words [01703].
4 Moses [04872] commanded [06680] us a law [08451], even the inheritance [04181] of the congregation [06952] of Jacob [03290].
5 And he was king [04428] in Jeshurun [03484], when the heads [07218] of the people [05971] and the tribes [07626] of Israel [03478] were gathered [0622] together [03162].
16 When I heard [08085], my belly [0990] trembled [07264]; my lips [08193] quivered [06750] at the voice [06963]: rottenness [07538] entered [0935] into my bones [06106], and I trembled [07264] in myself, that I might rest [05117] in the day [03117] of trouble [06869]: when he cometh up [05927] unto the people [05971], he will invade them with his troops [01464].
17 Although the fig tree [08384] shall not blossom [06524], neither shall fruit [02981] be in the vines [01612]; the labour [04639] of the olive [02132] shall fail [03584], and the fields [07709] shall yield [06213] no meat [0400]; the flock [06629] shall be cut off [01504] from the fold [04356], and there shall be no herd [01241] in the stalls [07517]:
18 Yet I will rejoice [05937] in the LORD [03068], I will joy [01523] in the God [0430] of my salvation [03468].
19 The LORD [03069] God [0136] is my strength [02428], and he will make [07760] my feet [07272] like hinds [0355]' feet, and he will make me to walk [01869] upon mine high places [01116]. To the chief singer [05329] on my stringed instruments [05058].
1 A prayer [08605] of Habakkuk [02265] the prophet [05030] upon Shigionoth [07692].
2 O LORD [03068], I have heard [08085] thy speech [08088], and was afraid [03372]: O LORD [03068], revive [02421] thy work [06467] in the midst [07130] of the years [08141], in the midst [07130] of the years [08141] make known [03045]; in wrath [07267] remember [02142] mercy [07355].
13 Be silent [02013], O all flesh [01320], before [06440] the LORD [03068]: for he is raised up [05782] out of his holy [06944] habitation [04583].
7 Hold thy peace [02013] at the presence [06440] of the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]: for the day [03117] of the LORD [03068] is at hand [07138]: for the LORD [03068] hath prepared [03559] a sacrifice [02077], he hath bid [06942] his guests [07121].
8 Thou didst cause judgment [01779] to be heard [08085] from heaven [08064]; the earth [0776] feared [03372], and was still [08252],
4 Behold, I am vile [07043]; what shall I answer [07725] thee? I will lay [07760] mine hand [03027] upon [03926] my mouth [06310].
2 Hear [08085], all ye people [05971]; hearken [07181], O earth [0776], and all that therein [04393] is: and let the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] be witness [05707] against you, the Lord [0136] from his holy [06944] temple [01964].
7 When my soul [05315] fainted [05848] within me I remembered [02142] the LORD [03068]: and my prayer [08605] came in [0935] unto thee, into thine holy [06944] temple [01964].
4 The LORD [03068] is in his holy [06944] temple [01964], the LORD'S [03068] throne [03678] is in heaven [08064]: his eyes [05869] behold [02372], his eyelids [06079] try [0974], the children [01121] of men [0120].
21 For, behold, the LORD [03068] cometh out [03318] of his place [04725] to punish [06485] the inhabitants [03427] of the earth [0776] for their iniquity [05771]: the earth [0776] also shall disclose [01540] her blood [01818], and shall no more cover [03680] her slain [02026].
19 What [2228]? know ye [1492] not [3756] that [3754] your [5216] body [4983] is [2076] the temple [3485] of the Holy [40] Ghost [4151] which is in [1722] you [5213], which [3739] ye have [2192] of [575] God [2316], and [2532] ye are [2075] not [3756] your own [1438]?
10 Believest thou [4100] not [3756] that [3754] I [1473] am [2076] in [1722] the Father [3962], and [2532] the Father [3962] in [1722] me [1698]? the words [4487] that [3739] I [1473] speak [2980] unto you [5213] I speak [2980] not [3756] of [575] myself [1683]: but [1161] the Father [3962] that dwelleth [3306] in [1722] me [1698], he [846] doeth [4160] the works [2041].
9 The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] maketh the hinds [0355] to calve [02342], and discovereth [02834] the forests [03295]: and in his temple [01964] doth every one speak [0559] of his glory [03519].
9 He bowed [05186] the heavens [08064] also, and came down [03381]: and darkness [06205] was under his feet [07272].
6 In my distress [06862] I called [07121] upon the LORD [03068], and cried [07768] unto my God [0430]: he heard [08085] my voice [06963] out of his temple [01964], and my cry [07775] came [0935] before [06440] him, even into his ears [0241].
4 The LORD [03068] is in his holy [06944] temple [01964], the LORD'S [03068] throne [03678] is in heaven [08064]: his eyes [05869] behold [02372], his eyelids [06079] try [0974], the children [01121] of men [0120].
15 Cursed [0779] be the man [0376] that maketh [06213] any graven [06459] or molten image [04541], an abomination [08441] unto the LORD [03068], the work [04639] of the hands [03027] of the craftsman [02796], and putteth [07760] it in a secret [05643] place. And all the people [05971] shall answer [06030] and say [0559], Amen [0543].
45 Then hear [08085] thou in heaven [08064] their prayer [08605] and their supplication [08467], and maintain [06213] their cause [04941].
36 Then hear [08085] thou in heaven [08064], and forgive [05545] the sin [02403] of thy servants [05650], and of thy people [05971] Israel [03478], that thou teach [03384] them the good [02896] way [01870] wherein they should walk [03212], and give [05414] rain [04306] upon thy land [0776], which thou hast given [05414] to thy people [05971] for an inheritance [05159].
34 Then hear [08085] thou in heaven [08064], and forgive [05545] the sin [02403] of thy people [05971] Israel [03478], and bring them again [07725] unto the land [0127] which thou gavest [05414] unto their fathers [01].
32 Then hear [08085] thou in heaven [08064], and do [06213], and judge [08199] thy servants [05650], condemning [07561] the wicked [07563], to bring [05414] his way [01870] upon his head [07218]; and justifying [06663] the righteous [06662], to give [05414] him according to his righteousness [06666].
49 Then hear [08085] thou their prayer [08605] and their supplication [08467] in heaven [08064] thy dwelling [03427] place [04349], and maintain [06213] their cause [04941],
43 Hear [08085] thou in heaven [08064] thy dwelling [03427] place [04349], and do [06213] according to all that the stranger [05237] calleth [07121] to thee for: that all people [05971] of the earth [0776] may know [03045] thy name [08034], to fear [03372] thee, as do thy people [05971] Israel [03478]; and that they may know [03045] that this house [01004], which I have builded [01129], is called [07121] by thy name [08034].
39 Then hear [08085] thou in heaven [08064] thy dwelling [03427] place [04349], and forgive [05545], and do [06213], and give [05414] to every man [0376] according to his ways [01870], whose heart [03824] thou knowest [03045]; (for thou, even thou only, knowest [03045] the hearts [03824] of all the children [01121] of men [0120];)
30 And hearken [08085] thou to the supplication [08467] of thy servant [05650], and of thy people [05971] Israel [03478], when they shall pray [06419] toward this place [04725]: and hear [08085] thou in heaven [08064] thy dwelling [03427] place [04725]: and when thou hearest [08085], forgive [05545].
48 And so return [07725] unto thee with all their heart [03824], and with all their soul [05315], in the land [0776] of their enemies [0341], which led them away captive [07617], and pray [06419] unto thee toward [01870] their land [0776], which thou gavest [05414] unto their fathers [01], the city [05892] which thou hast chosen [0977], and the house [01004] which I have built [01129] for thy name [08034]:
44 If thy people [05971] go out [03318] to battle [04421] against their enemy [0341], whithersoever [01870] thou shalt send [07971] them, and shall pray [06419] unto the LORD [03068] toward [01870] the city [05892] which thou hast chosen [0977], and toward the house [01004] that I have built [01129] for thy name [08034]:
42 (For they shall hear [08085] of thy great [01419] name [08034], and of thy strong [02389] hand [03027], and of thy stretched out [05186] arm [02220];) when he shall come [0935] and pray [06419] toward this house [01004];
38 What prayer [08605] and supplication [08467] soever be made by any man [0120], or by all thy people [05971] Israel [03478], which shall know [03045] every man [0376] the plague [05061] of his own heart [03824], and spread forth [06566] his hands [03709] toward this house [01004]:
35 When heaven [08064] is shut up [06113], and there is no rain [04306], because they have sinned [02398] against thee; if they pray [06419] toward this place [04725], and confess [03034] thy name [08034], and turn [07725] from their sin [02403], when thou afflictest [06031] them:
29 That thine eyes [05869] may be open [06605] toward this house [01004] night [03915] and day [03117], even toward the place [04725] of which thou hast said [0559], My name [08034] shall be there: that thou mayest hearken [08085] unto the prayer [08605] which thy servant [05650] shall make [06419] toward this place [04725].
30 And hearken [08085] thou to the supplication [08467] of thy servant [05650], and of thy people [05971] Israel [03478], when they shall pray [06419] toward this place [04725]: and hear [08085] thou in heaven [08064] thy dwelling [03427] place [04725]: and when thou hearest [08085], forgive [05545].
4 Then I said [0559], I am cast out [01644] of thy sight [05869]; yet I will look [05027] again [03254] toward thy holy [06944] temple [01964].
2 I will worship [07812] toward thy holy [06944] temple [01964], and praise [03034] thy name [08034] for thy lovingkindness [02617] and for thy truth [0571]: for thou hast magnified [01431] thy word [0565] above all thy name [08034].
7 But as for me, I will come [0935] into thy house [01004] in the multitude [07230] of thy mercy [02617]: and in thy fear [03374] will I worship [07812] toward thy holy [06944] temple [01964].
1 A Psalm [04210] of Asaph [0623]. O God [0430], the heathen [01471] are come [0935] into thine inheritance [05159]; thy holy [06944] temple [01964] have they defiled [02930]; they have laid [07760] Jerusalem [03389] on heaps [05856].
27 But will God [0430] indeed [0552] dwell [03427] on the earth [0776]? behold, the heaven [08064] and heaven [08064] of heavens [08064] cannot contain [03557] thee; how much less [0637] this house [01004] that I have builded [01129]?