Here's what I found:
"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?" - Habakkuk 1:13
Since wherefore and all those can be misleading I also looked up someone's interpretation of this:
"The Prophet here expostulates with God, not as at the
beginning of the chapter; for he does not here, with a holy
and calm mind, undertake the defense of God's glory, but
complains of injuries, as men do when oppressed, who go to
the judge and implore his protection. This complaint, then,
is to be distinguished from the former one; for at the
beginning of the chapter the Prophet did not plead his own
cause or that of the people; but zeal for God's glory roused
him, so that he in a manner asked God to take vengeance on so
great an obstinacy in wickedness; but
he now comes down and
expresses the feelings of men; for he speaks of the thoughts
and sorrows of those who had suffered injuries under the
tyranny of their enemies.
And he says, O God, thou art pure in eyes, thou lookest not on evil.
The Prophet reasons
from the nature of God, and then he states what is of an
opposite character. Thou, God, he says, art pure in eyes; hence
thou canst not look on evil; it is not consistent with thy
nature to pass by the vices of men, for every iniquity is
hateful to thee.
So the prophet is complaining Thus the Prophet sets before himself the
nature of God. Then he adds, that experience is opposed to
this;
for the wicked, he says, exult; and while they
miserably oppress the innocent, no one affords any help. How
is this, except that God sleeps in heaven, and neglects the
affairs of men? We now then understand the Prophet's meaning
in this verse. 1
By saying that God is pure in eyes, he assumes what ought to be
deemed certain and indubitable by all men of piety. But as
God's justice does not always appear, the Prophet has a
struggle; and he shows that he in a manner vacillated, for he
did not see in the state of things before him what yet his
piety dictated to him, that is, that God was just and
upright.
It is indeed true, that the second part of the verse
borders on blasphemy: for though the Prophet ever thought
honourably and reverently of God, yet he murmurs here, and
indirectly charges God with too much tardiness, as he
connived at things, while he saw the just shamefully
oppressed by the wicked. But we must notice the order which
the Prophet keeps. For by saying that God is pure in eyes, he
no doubt restrains himself. As there was danger lest this
temptation should carry him too far, he meets it in time, and
includes himself, in a manner, within this boundary -- that
we ought to retain a full conviction of God's justice.
For he then asks, according to the common judgement of the
flesh, Why dost thou look on, when the ungodly devours one more just than
himself? The Prophet here does not divest God of his power, but
speaks in doubt, and contends not so much with God as with
himself. A profane man would have said, "There is no God,
there is no providence," or, "He cares not for the world, he
takes his pleasure in heaven." But the Prophet says, "Thou
seest, Lord." Hence he ascribes to God what peculiarly
belongs to him -- that he does not neglect the world which he
has created. At the same time he here inclines two ways, and
alternates; Why does thou look on, when the ungodly devours one more just
than himself? He says not that the world revolves by chance, nor
that God takes his delight and ease in heaven, as the
Epicureans hold; but he confesses that the world is seen by
God, and that he exercises care over the affairs of men:
notwithstanding, as he could not see his way clear in a state
of things so confused, he argues the point rather with
himself than with God. We now see the import of this
sentence.
______
whew, that was long.. but interesting b/c it really borders on POE! I'm glad I looked up the interpretation, b/c at first I thought it meant the Prophet, or Bono through his words, were saying "i'm too clean to see the evil" but now I understand. wow so interesting!
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"Songs are the language of the spirit... the melodies are how you sing to God. It's a deep language. But they can't explain everything, because really great songs touch places that you can't explain." -Bono
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U2 Take Me Higher ** <--my "spoons"
Jazz man bass man cool -bluey-
*If I didn't have my spoons, I'd go insane!*
