‘God came from Teman,
And the Holy One from Mount Paran, (selah - consider that!),
His glory covered the heavens,
And the earth was full of his praise.
His brightness was as the light,
Rays proceeded from his hand.
And there was a veiling of his power.
The picture has in mind the song of Moses in Deuteronomy 33. Habakkuk has firmly in mind the covenant of God, and the fact that God had chosen His people, and brought them into the land Canaan. The idea here is of God advancing with His people from the wilderness south of the Negeb into the promised land. As Israel marched forward through the wilderness, with the ark of the covenant in their midst, so did God march with them. But the ark was only one sign of His presence. Also accompanying them was the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. His glory could not be contained. And here is added that as He came with them His glory filled the heavens. Here we have the heavenly view of God's entry with His people.
Habakkuk reveals the full glory of God. It covered the heavens, eliciting praise from the whole earth. He was bright as the light, shining out in His glory (Hebrews 1:3), rays of brilliance coming from His hand (compare the ‘fiery law' of Deuteronomy 33:2 which was for His people). And yet He veiled His power. Had He not done so the world would have melted before His glory and all life would have died (compare Exodus 33:17-23).
So the thought is that none in Israel who are true to His covenant need be afraid, whatever happens, because of the greatness and glory of God's presence among them, the God of the covenant, He Who wrought their great deliverance and continues to deliver.
‘Rays of brilliance came from his hand.' All who heard it would remember the ‘fiery laws' of Deuteronomy 33:2 which were for His people. This was the covenant in all its glory, given by God from the flames of Mount Sinai, and continually brought home to His true people, burning its way into their hearts.
Teman was a place in Edom. (See Gen 36:11; 1 Chronicles 1:36; 1 Chronicles 1:45; Jeremiah 49:20; Ezekiel 25:13; Amos 1:12). Mount Paran (see Deuteronomy 33:2) would be a prominent peak in the wilderness of Paran on the west shore of the gulf of Aqabah as you come into the Negeb and Canaan from the probable site of Mount Sinai. (It may even be another name for Sinai).
‘Selah' - the word appears continually in the Psalms in a similar way to here, probably as suggesting the need for a pause to consider what has been said or sung. Habakkuk clearly expected his psalm to be sung in the temple..