Habakkuk 3:8-19

Common English Bible

⁸Was the Lord raging against the rivers?
        Or was your anger directed against the rivers?
        Or was your fury directed against the sea
            when you rode on your horses
            or rode your chariots to victory?
⁹You raise up your empty bow,
        uttering curses for the arrows.^[a] Selah
With rivers you split open the earth.
¹⁰        The mountains see you and writhe.
        A flood of water rushes through.
        The deep utters its voice;
            it raises its hands aloft.^[b]
¹¹        Sun and moon stand still high above.
        With the light, your arrows shoot,
            your spear at the flash of lightning.
¹²In fury, you stride the earth;
        in anger you tread the nations.
¹³You go out to save your people.
        For the salvation of your anointed
            you smashed the head of the house of wickedness,
            laying bare the foundation up to the neck. Selah
¹⁴You pierce the head of his warrior with his own spear.
        His warriors are driven off,
            those who take delight in oppressing us,^[c]
            those who take pleasure in secretly devouring the poor.
¹⁵You make your horses tread on the sea;
        turbulent waters foam.

The prophet responds

¹⁶I hear and my insides tremble.
        My lips quiver at the sound.
        Rottenness enters my bones.
I tremble while I stand,^[d]
        while I wait for the day of distress to come against the people who attack us.
¹⁷Though the fig tree doesn’t bloom,
            and there’s no produce on the vine;
        though the olive crop withers,
            and the fields don’t provide food;
        though the sheep are cut off from the pen,
            and there are no cattle in the stalls;
¹⁸I will rejoice in the Lord.
        I will rejoice in the God of my deliverance.
¹⁹The Lord God is my strength.
        He will set my feet like the deer.
        He will let me walk upon the heights.^[e]