John Calvin Commentary Habakkuk 2:1

"I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer concerning my complaint." — Habakkuk 2:1 (ASV)

We have seen in the first chapter, Habakkuk 1:2–3, that the Prophet spoke in the name of all the faithful. It was indeed a hard struggle when all things were in a perplexed state and no outlet appeared. The faithful might have thought that all things happened by chance, that there was no divine providence; and even the Prophet uttered complaints of this kind.

He now begins to recover himself from his perplexities, and he always speaks in the person of the godly, or of the whole Church. I do not approve of what is done by some interpreters who confine what is said to the prophetic office; and it may be easy to learn from the context that the Prophet does not speak according to his private feeling, but that he represents the feelings of all the godly.

So then, we ought to connect this verse with the complaints which we have before noticed. For the Prophet, finding himself sinking and, as it were, overwhelmed in the deepest abyss, raises himself up above the judgment and reason of men and comes nearer to God, so that he might see from on high the things which take place on earth, and not judge according to the understanding of his own flesh, but by the light of the Holy Spirit. For the tower of which he speaks is patience arising from hope. If indeed we would struggle perseveringly to the last and at length obtain the victory over all trials and conflicts, we must rise above the world.

Some understand by tower and citadel the Word of God. This may be allowed in some measure, though it is not in every respect suitable. If we more fully weigh the reason for the metaphor, we shall have no difficulty knowing that the tower is the recess of the mind, where we withdraw ourselves from the world; for we find how inclined we all are to entertain distrust.

When, therefore, we follow our own inclination, various temptations immediately take hold of us; nor can we even for a moment exercise hope in God. Many things are also suggested to us which take away and deprive us of all confidence. We also become involved in a variety of thoughts, for when Satan finds people wandering in their imaginations and blending many things together, he so entangles them that they cannot by any means come near to God.

If then we would cherish faith in our hearts, we must rise above all these difficulties and hindrances. And the Prophet by "tower" means this: that he extricated himself from the thoughts of the flesh. For there would have been no end nor termination to his doubts had he tried to form a judgment according to his own understanding. I will stand, he says, on my tower, and I will set myself on the citadel. In short, the sentence carries this meaning: that the Prophet renounced the judgment of men and broke through all those snares by which Satan entangles us and prevents us from rising above the earth.

He then adds, I will watch to see what he may say to me; that is, I will be vigilant there. For by watching he means vigilance and waiting, as if he had said, “Though no hope should soon appear, I will not despond; nor will I forsake my station; but I will remain constantly in that tower, to which I wish now to ascend: I will watch then to see what he may say to me.” The reference is evidently to God, for the opinion of those who apply this “saying” to the ministers of Satan is not probable.

For the Prophet says first, I will see what he may say to me, and then he adds, and what I shall answer. Those who explain the words what he may say as referring to the wicked who might oppose him for the purpose of shaking his faith overlook the words of the Prophet, for he speaks here in the singular number; and as there is no name expressed, the Prophet no doubt meant God.

But even if the words were capable of admitting this explanation, yet the very drift of the argument shows that the passage has the meaning which I have attached to it. For how could the faithful answer the calumnies by which their faith was assailed, when the profane reproachfully mocked and derided them—how could they satisfactorily disprove such blasphemies, if they did not first attend to what God might say to them? For we cannot confute the devil and his ministers unless we are instructed by the word of God.

Thus, we see that the Prophet observes the best order in what he states, when he says in the first place, I will see what God may say to me; and in the second place, I shall then be taught to answer to my chiding. That is, “If the wicked deride my faith, I will be able boldly to confute them; for the Lord will suggest to me such things as may enable me to give a full answer.” We now perceive the simple and real meaning of this verse. It remains for us to apply the doctrine to our own use.

It must be first observed that there is no remedy when such trials as those mentioned by the Prophet in the first chapter, Habakkuk 1:4–17, meet us, unless we learn to lift our minds above the world. For if we contend with Satan according to our own perspective, he will overwhelm us a hundred times, and we can never be able to resist him.

Let us therefore know that the right way of fighting with him is shown to us here: when our minds are agitated with unbelief, when doubts respecting God’s providence creep in, when things are so confused in this world as to involve us in darkness, so that no light appears, we must set aside our own reason. For all our thoughts are worthless when we seek, according to our own reason, to form a judgment.

Until the faithful ascend to their tower and stand in their citadel, of which the Prophet here speaks, their temptations will drive them here and there and sink them, as if in a bottomless gulf. But so that we may more fully understand the meaning, we must know that there is here an implied contrast between the tower and the citadel, which the Prophet mentions, and a station on earth.

As long as we judge according to our own perceptions, we walk on the earth. While we do so, many clouds arise, and Satan scatters ashes in our eyes and completely darkens our judgment; thus it happens that we lie down completely confounded. It is therefore absolutely necessary, as we have before said, that we should tread our reason under foot and come near to God himself.

We have said that the tower is the recess of the mind; but how can we ascend to it? Even by following the word of the Lord. For we creep on the earth; indeed, we find that our flesh always draws us downward. Unless the truth from above becomes to us, as if, wings, or a ladder, or a vehicle, we cannot rise up one foot; but, on the contrary, we will seek refuges on the earth rather than ascend into heaven.

But let the word of God become our ladder, or our vehicle, or our wings; and, however difficult the ascent may be, we will still be able to fly upward, provided God’s word is allowed to have its own authority. Thus, we see how unsuitable is the view of those interpreters who think that the tower and the citadel are the word of God. For it is by God’s word, as I have already said, that we are raised up to this citadel, that is, to the safeguard of hope, where we may remain safe and secure while looking down from this eminence on those things which disturb us and darken all our senses as long as we lie on the earth. This is one thing.

Then the repetition is not without purpose, for the Prophet says, On my tower will I stand, on the citadel will I set myself. He does not repeat the same thing in other words because it is obscure, but in order to remind the faithful that, though they are inclined to sloth, they must yet strive to extricate themselves. And we soon find how slothful we become, unless each of us stirs himself up. For when any perplexity takes hold of our minds, we soon succumb to despair. This, then, is the reason why the Prophet, after having spoken of the tower, again mentions the citadel.

But when he says, I will watch to see, he refers to perseverance. For it is not enough to open our eyes once and by one look to observe what happens to us; it is necessary to continue our attention. This constant attention, then, is what the Prophet means by watching, for we are not so clear-sighted as to comprehend immediately what is useful to be known.

And then, though we may once see what is necessary, yet a new temptation can obliterate that view. It thus happens that all our observations become evanescent, unless we continue to watch—that is, unless we persevere in our attention, so that we may always return to God whenever the devil raises new storms and whenever he darkens the heavens with clouds to prevent us from seeing God.

Thus, we see how emphatic is what the Prophet says here, I will watch to see. The Prophet evidently compares the faithful to watchmen who, though they hear nothing, yet do not sleep; and if they hear any noise once or twice, they do not immediately sound an alarm, but wait and attend. As, then, those who keep watch ought to remain quiet, so that they may not disturb others and that they may duly perform their office, so it is fitting for the faithful to be also tranquil and quiet, and wait patiently for God during times of perplexity and confusion.

Let us now inquire what is the purpose of this watching: I will watch to see, he says, what he may say to me. There seems to be an impropriety in the expression, for we do not properly see what is said. But the Prophet connects together here two metaphors. Strictly speaking, he ought to have said, “I will continue attentive to hear what he may say;” but he says, I will watch to see what he may say. The metaphor is found correctly used in Psalm 85:8,

I will hear what God may say; for he will speak peace to his people.

There also it is a metaphor, for the Prophet does not speak of natural hearing: I will hear what God may speak. What does that hearing mean? It means this: I will quietly wait until God shows his favor, which is now hidden; for he will speak peace to his people; that is, the Lord will never forget his own Church.

But the Prophet, as I have said, joins together here two metaphors. For to speak, or to say, means nothing other than that God testifies to our hearts that, though the reason for his purpose does not immediately appear to us, yet all things are wisely ruled, and that nothing is better than to submit to his will.

But when he says, I will see, and I will watch what he may say, the metaphor seems incongruous, and yet there appears a reason for it; for the Prophet intended to remind us that we should employ all our senses for this end—to be completely attentive to God’s word.

For though one may be resolved to hear God, we yet find that many temptations immediately distract us. It is not then enough to become teachable and to apply our ears to hear his voice, unless our eyes are also connected with them, so that we may be completely attentive.

Thus, we see the object of the Prophet; for he meant to express the greatest attention, as if he had said that the faithful would always wander in their thoughts unless they carefully concentrated both their eyes and their ears, and all their senses, on God, and continually restrained themselves, so that stray speculations or imaginations should not lead them astray.

And further, the Prophet teaches us that we should have such reverence for God’s word as to consider it sufficient for us to hear his voice. Let this, then, be our understanding: to obey God speaking to us and reverently to embrace his word, so that he may deliver us from all troubles and also keep our minds in peace and tranquillity.

God’s speaking, then, is opposed to all the obstreperous clamors of Satan, which he never ceases to sound in our ears. For as soon as any temptation takes place, Satan suggests many things to us, and those of various kinds: What will you do? What advice will you take? See whether God is propitious to you from whom you expect help. How can you dare to trust that God will assist you? How can he extricate you? What will be the issue?

As Satan then disturbs us in various ways, the Prophet shows that the word of God alone is sufficient for us. All, then, who indulge themselves in their own counsel deserve to be forsaken by God and left by him to be driven up and down, and here and there, by Satan; for the only unfailing security for the faithful is to acquiesce in God’s word.

But this appears still more clear from what is expressed at the close of the verse, when the Prophet adds, and what I may answer to the reproof given me. For he shows that he would be equipped with the best weapons to sustain and repel all assaults, provided he patiently attended to God speaking to him and fully embraced his word. “Then,” he says, “I shall have what I may answer to all reproofs, when the Lord shall speak to me.”

By “reproofs,” he means not only the blasphemies by which the wicked shake his faith, but also all those turbulent feelings by which Satan secretly labors to subvert his faith. For not only do the ungodly deride us and mock at our simplicity, as if we presumptuously and foolishly trusted in God and were thus over-credulous; but we also reprove ourselves inwardly and disturb ourselves by various internal contentions. For whatever comes to our mind that is in opposition to God’s word is properly a chiding or a reproof, as it is the same thing as if one accused himself, as if he had not found God to be faithful.

We now, then, see that the word “reproof” extends farther than to those outward blasphemies by which the unbelieving usually assail the children of God. For, as we have already said, though no one attempted to try our faith, yet every one is a tempter to himself, for the devil never ceases to agitate our minds. When, therefore, the Prophet says, what I may answer to reproof, he means that he would be sufficiently fortified against all the assaults of Satan, both secret and external, when he heard what God might say to him.

We may also gather from the whole verse that we can form no judgment of God’s providence unless by the light of celestial truth. It is therefore no wonder that many fall away under trials, indeed, almost the whole world; for there are few who ascend into the citadel of which the Prophet speaks and who are willing to hear God speaking to them. Hence, presumption and arrogance blind the minds of men, so that they either speak evil of God who addresses them, or accuse fortune, or maintain that there is nothing certain. Thus they murmur within themselves, and claim more for themselves than they should, and never submit to God’s word. Let us proceed.