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Habakkuk 3
Revised Standard Version
Habakkuk 3
Revised Standard Version
3 A prayer of Habak′kuk the prophet, according to Shigion′oth.
The Prophet’s Prayer
2 O Lord, I have heard the report of thee,
and thy work, O Lord, do I fear.
In the midst of the years renew it;
in the midst of the years make it known;
in wrath remember mercy.
3 God came from Teman,
and the Holy One from Mount Paran.
His glory covered the heavens,
and the earth was full of his praise.
Selah
4 His brightness was like the light,
rays flashed from his hand;
and there he veiled his power.
5 Before him went pestilence,
and plague followed close behind.
6 He stood and measured the earth;
he looked and shook the nations;
then the eternal mountains were scattered,
the everlasting hills sank low.
His ways were as of old.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction;
the curtains of the land of Mid′ian did tremble.
8 Was thy wrath against the rivers, O Lord?
Was thy anger against the rivers,
or thy indignation against the sea,
when thou didst ride upon thy horses,
upon thy chariot of victory?
9 Thou didst strip the sheath from thy bow,
and put the arrows to the string.[a]
Selah
Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw thee, and writhed;
the raging waters swept on;
the deep gave forth its voice,
it lifted its hands on high.
11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation[b]
at the light of thine arrows as they sped,
at the flash of thy glittering spear.
12 Thou didst bestride the earth in fury,
thou didst trample the nations in anger.
13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people,
for the salvation of thy anointed.
Thou didst crush the head of the wicked,[c]
laying him bare from thigh to neck.[d]
Selah
14 Thou didst pierce with thy[e] shafts the head of his warriors,[f]
who came like a whirlwind to scatter me,
rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.
15 Thou didst trample the sea with thy horses,
the surging of mighty waters.
16 I hear, and my body trembles,
my lips quiver at the sound;
rottenness enters into my bones,
my steps totter[g] beneath me.
I will quietly wait for the day of trouble
to come upon people who invade us.
Trust and Joy in the Midst of Trouble
17 Though the fig tree do not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like hinds’ feet,
he makes me tread upon my high places.
To the choirmaster: with stringed[h] instruments.
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 3:9 Cn: Heb obscure
- Habakkuk 3:11 Heb uncertain
- Habakkuk 3:13 Cn: Heb head from the house of the wicked
- Habakkuk 3:13 Heb obscure
- Habakkuk 3:14 Heb his
- Habakkuk 3:14 Vg Compare Gk Syr: Heb uncertain
- Habakkuk 3:16 Cn Compare Gk: Heb I tremble because
- Habakkuk 3:19 Heb my stringed
Habakkuk 3
New International Version
Habakkuk 3
New International Version
Habakkuk’s Prayer
3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.[a](A)
2 Lord, I have heard(B) of your fame;
I stand in awe(C) of your deeds, Lord.(D)
Repeat(E) them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy.(F)
3 God came from Teman,(G)
the Holy One(H) from Mount Paran.[b](I)
His glory covered the heavens(J)
and his praise filled the earth.(K)
4 His splendor was like the sunrise;(L)
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power(M) was hidden.
5 Plague(N) went before him;
pestilence followed his steps.
6 He stood, and shook the earth;
he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled(O)
and the age-old hills(P) collapsed(Q)—
but he marches on forever.(R)
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
the dwellings of Midian(S) in anguish.(T)
8 Were you angry with the rivers,(U) Lord?
Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea(V)
when you rode your horses
and your chariots to victory?(W)
9 You uncovered your bow,
you called for many arrows.(X)
You split the earth with rivers;
10 the mountains saw you and writhed.(Y)
Torrents of water swept by;
the deep roared(Z)
and lifted its waves(AA) on high.
11 Sun and moon stood still(AB) in the heavens
at the glint of your flying arrows,(AC)
at the lightning(AD) of your flashing spear.
12 In wrath you strode through the earth
and in anger you threshed(AE) the nations.
13 You came out(AF) to deliver(AG) your people,
to save your anointed(AH) one.
You crushed(AI) the leader of the land of wickedness,
you stripped him from head to foot.
14 With his own spear you pierced his head
when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,(AJ)
gloating as though about to devour
the wretched(AK) who were in hiding.
15 You trampled the sea(AL) with your horses,
churning the great waters.(AM)
16 I heard and my heart pounded,
my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
and my legs trembled.(AN)
Yet I will wait patiently(AO) for the day of calamity
to come on the nation invading us.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,(AP)
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,(AQ)
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,(AR)
I will be joyful in God my Savior.(AS)
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;(AT)
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.(AU)
For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 3:1 Probably a literary or musical term
- Habakkuk 3:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the middle of verse 9 and at the end of verse 13.
Revised Standard Version (RSV)
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.