Verse 13
He had gone forth as a warrior to save His people and to deliver His anointed one. This may refer to Moses in his battles with Israel’s enemies, or it may refer to a coming anointed one: Cyrus (cf. Isaiah 45:1) or Messiah (cf. Psalms 2:2; Daniel 9:26), or more than one of these.
"The first half of the verse provides the key to understanding the relationship of this chapter to the rest of the book. Rather than ignoring wrongdoing (Habakkuk 1:2-4), or allowing oppression of his people to go unpunished (Habakkuk 1:12-17), God remembers his covenant and acts on their behalf. The whole purpose of the psalm and of God’s theophany is to indicate the continued presence of gracious care coupled with divine judgment. Here we have God’s answer to Habakkuk’s complaints (Habakkuk 1:12-17)-his people will be saved." [Note: Baker, pp. 74-75.]
The Lord had also smitten the leaders of many evil nations that opposed the Israelites, beginning with Pharaoh. He had disabled their nations as thoroughly as when someone slits a body open from bottom to top or tears a building off its foundation. Selah.
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