John Trapp on Habakkuk 3:1

CHAP. III.

Verſe 1. A prayer of Habbakkuk the Prophet] Habakkuk ſignifieth a Wraſtler, that by cloſing ſtriveth to get the better, as hath been before noted on chap. 1.1. To cloſe with the adverſary is the beſt way to ſupplant him, or to avoid the blow: ſo is running in to God, the way to eſcape him. The Prophet had heard Gods ſpeech and was afraid verſe 2. He ſaw his wrath ready to break forth, and therefore gets in with him by this prayer. He knew that, Flectitur irat us voce rogante Deus.Ovid. God ſuffereth himſelf oft to be overcome by the prayers of his people: and yeeldeth much unto them, when moſt bitterly bent Mat. 24.20. he therefore ſers ſhoulders and ſides to work, and wreſtle luſtily in this chapter. He knew it was a Prophets work, to pray as well as preach: and between theſe two, to divide his time. God forbid (ſaith Samuei, who is reckoned the firſt of Prophets) that I ſhould ſin againſt the Lord in ceaſing to pray for you: I will alſo teach you the good and right way 1 Sam. Act. 3.24. 12.23. So doth this Prophet: he both preferreth a prayer (the word, [non-Latin text not transcribed] ſay ſome, ſignifieth ſuch a prayer as is made by a Mediatour before a judge; we have an advocate with the Father 1 Ioh. 2.1.) and dedicated the ſame to the people, to be uſed by them in the time of the captivity: which yet they ſhamefully neglected to do, as Daniel acknowledgeth chap. 9.13. or if they did any thing towards it, they merely ſought themſelves in it, and ſo loſt their labour, Zech. 7.5. whereas had they prayed as here is preſcribed, confeſſing their ſins,Lam. 3. and beſeeching God not to deale with them after their deſerts, but according to his ancient loving kindneſſes that never faile, they might have found mercy. The Altar of incenſe ſtood againſt the Mercy-ſeat: and Rev. 9.13. the prayers of the Saints from the foure corners of the earth ſound and do great things in the world, make it ring. It was the ſpeech of a learned man: If there be but one ſigh come from a gracious heart, it fills the eares of God, ſo that God hears nothing elſe.

upon Sigionoth] Vocabulum Muſicum eſt, cujus ratio Hebraeis ignota, ſaith Buxtorf: it is a Muſical terme, the reaſon whereof is unknown to the Hebrew-Doctours at this day. Yet Rabbi Salomon (and with him the moſt Interpreters) rendreth it pro ignorantiis, for ignorances, or as touching his own and his peoples errours; which the prophet here (convinced by Gods former anſwer to his expoſtulation) confeſſeth with confuſion of face. Ignorance ſurely is a bluſhfull ſin; eſpecially if affected and delighted in (as the Hebrew word ſeemeth to imply, confer Prov. 5.19. and 20.1.) Privative ignorance, though it do ſomwhat excuſe a man (ſc. à tanto, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. not à toto, Luk 12.47.) yet is it a ſin to be confeſſed and bewailed: for Chriſt died for the not-knowing of the people Heb. 9.7. and deſtruction is threatened pr[illegible: 1 letter] non-ſcientia, or lack of knowledge Hoſ. 4.7. But Calvin well obſerveth here, that the Prophet by begging pardon for i[illegible: 1 letter]norances, doth not omit his own and the peoples more grievous ſins: but ſheweth, that men muſt alſo be ſenſible of their leſſer lapſes, and cry out with David (after whoſe example this whole ſong is framed) Who can underſtand his errours (or ignorances unwitting and inconſiderate ſins?) O clenſe thou me from ſecret faults. Pſal. 19.12.