GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:19
Habakkuk heard the Lord speak about the terrible times coming. Despite that, he still rejoices in God. The prophet declares God to be his strength.
A Source of Strength
There are multiple Hebrew words that are translated as strength, each with its own nuance. The word ko’ach is the most common. This is not the term used here, however. Habakkuk describes God as his chayil (חַיִל). This word appears in English as a wide variety of terms, including army, wealth, valor, valiant, force, mighty, strength, and more. It carries a wide range of meanings! Let’s look at several uses to get a fuller picture to better understand what Habakkuk is saying.
A Show of Force
The most common translation of chayil is army. The word tzava is the more common term for an army or host. I see chayil as meaning “force,” describing the armed forces as the strength of a king. For instance, King Uzziah of Judah “had an army (chayil) of soldiers” (2 Chronicles 26:11). “Under their command was an army (chayil tzava) of 307,500, who could make war with mighty (chayil) power (ko’ach), to help the king against the enemy” (2 Chronicles 26:13). We read about Pharaoh’s army (chayil) pursuing the people of Israel into the Red Sea (Exodus 14:9, Deuteronomy 11:4). David numbered his army (2 Samuel 24:2, 4). Nebuchadnezzar besieged and conquered Jerusalem with his army (1 Kings 25:1, 5, 10).
The Psalmist reminds us, however, that the strength of an army is not the ultimate source of victory:
The king is not saved by his great army (chayil);
Psalm 33:16-17
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength (ko’ach).
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might (chayil) it cannot rescue.
Strength of Character
Men and women with chayil are virtuous or valiant. The book of Proverbs ends with a description of an “excellent wife” (Proverbs 31:10; NIV “wife of noble character”), which is the Hebrew eshet-chayil. Later it says her husband praises her, “Many women have done excellently (chayil), / but you surpass them all” (Proverbs 31:29). We find earlier in the book, “An excellent wife (eshet-chayil) is the crown of her husband” (Proverbs 12:4). The only other time we find this phrase is when Boaz describes Ruth as an eshet-chayil, “a worthy woman” (Ruth 3:11).
Boaz is referred to as “a worthy man” (ish gibor cha’yil), either referring to his character or that he’s a man of some means (wealth). After agreeing to marry Ruth, the elders in the gate charge him to “act worthily (chayil)” (Ruth 4:11) in their town.
When Jacob and his sons settled in Egypt, they told Pharaoh they were shepherds. Pharaoh said that “if you know any able (chayil) men among them, put them in charge of my livestock” (Genesis 47:6). When looking for judges, Moses was instructed to find “able (chayil) men” (Exodus 18:21, 25) to place over the people. “Valiant men” are often found fighting in the army (see 1 Samuel 31:12, 2 Samuel 11:16, 17:10, 24:9).
The Power of Wealth
We also see instances where chayil carries the idea of wealth.
Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power (ko’ach) and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth (chayil).’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power (ko’ach) to get wealth (chayil), that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18
The prophets predicted that the wealth (chayil) of nations would come to Israel in the future (Isaiah 60:5, 11, 61:6, Zechariah 14:14).
To Ponder…
What is your source of strength? Is your strength physical, in wealth, or in character? Have you gained this strength on your own might or by depending on the Lord? “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might (cha’yil), nor by power (ko’ach), but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).