Hab 3:19 | JFB | STEP | 19. hinds' feet ... walk upon ... high places-- Habakkuk has here before his mind , ; . "Hinds' (gazelles') feet" imply the swiftness with which God enables him (the prophet and his people) to escape from his enemies, and return to his native land. The "high places" are called "mine," to imply that Israel shall be restored to his own land, a land of hills which are places of safety and of eminence (compare ; ). Probably not only the safety, but the moral elevation, of Israel above all the lands of the earth is implied ( ). on my stringed instruments-- neginoth. This is the prophet's direction to the precentor ("chief singer") as to how the preceding ode ( ) is to be performed (compare ; , titles). The prophet had in mind a certain form of stringed instrument adapted to certain numbers and measures. This formula at the end of the ode, directing the kind of instrument to be used, agrees with that in the beginning of it, which directs the kind of melody (compare ).

‏ Habakkuk 3:19

19. hinds' feet ... walk upon ... high places--Habakkuk has here before his mind Psa 18:33, 34; De 32:13. "Hinds' (gazelles') feet" imply the swiftness with which God enables him (the prophet and his people) to escape from his enemies, and return to his native land. The "high places" are called "mine," to imply that Israel shall be restored to his own land, a land of hills which are places of safety and of eminence (compare Ge 19:17; Mt 24:16). Probably not only the safety, but the moral elevation, of Israel above all the lands of the earth is implied (De 33:29).

on my stringed instruments--neginoth. This is the prophet's direction to the precentor ("chief singer") as to how the preceding ode (Ha 3:1-19) is to be performed (compare Psa 4:1; 6:1, titles). The prophet had in mind a certain form of stringed instrument adapted to certain numbers and measures. This formula at the end of the ode, directing the kind of instrument to be used, agrees with that in the beginning of it, which directs the kind of melody (compare Is 38:20).