Habakkuk 3:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Hebrew text replaces "fulfilment" with "steadfastness," emphasizing the need for consistency. The steadfast feet clearly point to perseverance in righteousness, reliability in virtue, fidelity in faith, and love for Christ. It is evident that the lives of those who are justified in Christ are not rooted in worldly or base matters but rise above all earthly concerns, reflecting the highest attributes, as indicated by the assertion, "unto the high He lifteth me up." Indeed, the virtues associated with the gospel life are held in high esteem by God. Furthermore, He assures us that we shall triumph over our enemies and prevail against our foes by offering Him praise, as He affirms: "I will overcome in my song."

Acknowledging this on behalf of the apostles and all believers in Christ, he declares: "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will rejoice in my God Jesus." The LXX translates this as "τῶ Ζωτῆρ´ μου," meaning 'my Savior.' Gabriel echoes this when he states, "And Jesus shall be called, for He shall save His people" (Matt. 1:21).

The Lord God is my fortress; my strength lies solely in Christ, rendering the requirements of the law ineffective. He shall make my feet swift as a gazelle's, empowering me to trample on serpents and scorpions, and like a child, I will reach into the hold of a serpent's lair and play with deadly creatures. My Beloved is akin to a gazelle or a young deer (Song 2:9). As He embodies the qualities of a gazelle, so He allows me to embody traits of strength and grace, like a deer with agile legs, able to navigate treacherous terrain and drive away serpents by its very presence.

The psalmist speaks of this with the words: "Who hath made my feet like the feet of deer, and on the heights shall He set me" (Psalms 17:34), and "The voice of the Lord who perfects the deer" (Psalm 28:9). He will place my feet among His faithful as He raises me to heavenly realms, so that I may join the angelic hosts in singing His glory and proclaiming peace on earth to humanity. I will sing of His victory, the triumphs won through the cross. All that is articulated in the text of Hebrews and the Fifth Edition pertains to the time when the Jewish people faced defeat and the coming of the Lord.

Yet if we desire to interpret this in the context of the end times, we recall the exultation of Israel during their deliverance from Egypt (Exod. 9), praising the Lord and rejoicing in their Savior as Egypt was shaken. As God struck down their crops and the firstborn, the land was devastated by plagues, leaving the fig tree barren, the vines lifeless, and the olive tree a mere shadow of its potential—likewise, at the end of days when lawlessness abounds and love wanes (Matt. 24:12), the fig tree will bear no fruit, the vines will wither, and the olive tree will falter. In such times, those found righteous, worthy of God’s choice, will joyfully proclaim: "I will rejoice in the Lord, and I will exult in God my Savior. The Lord is my stronghold."

Appointed by God above the ruin of the world, He will elevate me to the heights, declaring, "He will set my feet at the end of the world, and over the heights He will establish me." When the victorious Jesus, who first overcame the trials, grants me the reward of song, I shall triumphantly sing His praise. My hands will create beautiful melodies on every instrument, and a hymn of glory to the Victor will follow.

Ultimately, I, who once cried out, "How long, O Lord, shall I cry out, and Thou wilt not hear?" and lamented my suffering, will then glorify His justice. I will surpass all others in song as I sing of His righteousness and judgment.

Should anyone wish for clarity, they can examine the prophecy in detail and will likely find that much of it does not at all align with specific prophecies. Let them evaluate as they choose. Yet I urge the readers to draw wisdom from the interpretations provided, and with the grace of divine strength, let them seek the crowns of victory bestowed by the Lord Christ. To Him belongs all glory forever and ever! Amen.

Similarly, the prophet Habakkuk applies David’s words to his own experience, having also evaded his enemies like a deer, escaping the perils of Babylonian captivity with God's assistance, and foreseeing the eventual salvation of humanity.

Some interpreters, such as Blessed Theodoret and Blessed Jerome, link these verses to what precedes them. Blessed Theodoret interprets it this way: "I will be secure, I will tread upon serpents and scorpions, until I lift a victorious song to the Savior and Creator." Blessed Jerome suggests that the Victor elevates me to high places for the purpose of singing praises to the Lord. Other scholars, however, see these words as separate, viewing them as a title for Habakkuk’s preceding song, as similar phrases appear in Psalms IV and VI and serve clearly as headings for them. As such, they imply that the composition I have created should be entrusted to the choir director for rendition in a well-known musical style.

In the song of the prophet (3:3-15), the Hebrew term ‘Selah’ appears three times (in verses 3, 9, and 13). This term remains untranslated in the Slavonic texts, while the Septuagint renders it as ‘διαψαλµα’ (diapsalma). According to St. Athanasius, diapsalma signifies either a shift in musical harmonies or a transition in thought and emphasis. Blessed Theodoret describes diapsalma as a change in the melody, whether in music or in chant.