Font Size
Habakkuk 3
New American Standard Bible
Habakkuk 3
New American Standard Bible
God’s People Saved
3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to [a]Shigionoth.
2 Lord, I have (A)heard [b]the report about You, and [c]I was (B)afraid.
Lord, (C)revive (D)Your work in the midst of the years,
In the midst of the years make it known.
In anger remember [d](E)mercy.
3 God comes from (F)Teman,
And the Holy One from Mount (G)Paran. Selah
His (H)splendor covers the heavens,
And the (I)earth is full of His praise.
4 His (J)radiance is like the sunlight;
He has rays flashing from His hand,
And the hiding of His (K)might is there.
5 Before Him goes (L)plague,
And (M)plague comes forth [e]after Him.
6 He stood and caused the earth to shudder;
He looked and (N)caused the nations to jump.
Yes, the everlasting mountains were shattered,
The ancient hills [f]collapsed.
His paths are (O)everlasting.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan under (P)distress,
The tent curtains of the land of (Q)Midian were trembling.
8 Did the Lord rage against the (R)rivers,
Or was Your anger against the rivers,
Or was Your rage against the (S)sea,
That You (T)rode on Your horses,
On Your (U)chariots of salvation?
9 You removed Your (V)bow from its holder,
The arrows of Your word were [g]sworn. Selah
You (W)divided the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw You and quaked;
The downpour of waters swept by.
The deep (X)raised its voice,
It lifted high its hands.
11 (Y)Sun and moon stood in their lofty places;
They went away at the (Z)light of Your arrows,
At the radiance of Your flashing spear.
12 In indignation You (AA)marched through the earth;
In anger You [h](AB)trampled the nations.
13 You went forth for the (AC)salvation of Your people,
For the salvation of Your (AD)anointed.
You smashed the (AE)head of the house of evil
To uncover him from [i]foot to neck. Selah
14 You pierced with his (AF)own [j]arrows
The head of his [k]leaders.
They (AG)stormed in to scatter [l]us;
Their arrogance was like those
Who (AH)devour the oppressed in secret.
15 You (AI)trampled on the sea with Your horses,
On the (AJ)foam of many waters.
16 I heard, and my [m]inner parts (AK)trembled;
At the sound, my lips quivered.
Decay enters my (AL)bones,
And in my place I tremble;
Because I [n]must (AM)wait quietly for the day of distress,
[o]For the (AN)people to arise who will attack us.
17 Even if the (AO)fig tree does not blossom,
And there is no [p]fruit on the vines,
If the yield of the (AP)olive fails,
And the fields produce no food,
Even if the (AQ)flock disappears from the fold,
And there are (AR)no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will (AS)triumph in the Lord,
I will (AT)rejoice in the (AU)God of my salvation.
19 The Lord [q]God is my (AV)strength,
And (AW)He has made my feet like deer’s feet,
And has me walk on my (AX)high places.
For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Habakkuk 3:1 Perhaps a highly emotional poetic form
- Habakkuk 3:2 Or Your report
- Habakkuk 3:2 Or I am in awe, O Lord, of Your work; In the midst of the years revive it,
- Habakkuk 3:2 Or compassion
- Habakkuk 3:5 Lit at His feet
- Habakkuk 3:6 Lit cowered
- Habakkuk 3:9 Lit oaths
- Habakkuk 3:12 Or threshed
- Habakkuk 3:13 Lit base
- Habakkuk 3:14 Lit shafts
- Habakkuk 3:14 Or villagers
- Habakkuk 3:14 Lit me
- Habakkuk 3:16 Lit belly
- Habakkuk 3:16 Or sigh for
- Habakkuk 3:16 Or To come upon the people who will
- Habakkuk 3:17 Lit produce
- Habakkuk 3:19 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
Habakkuk 3
New Living Translation
Habakkuk 3
New Living Translation
Habakkuk’s Prayer
3 This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk[a]:
2 I have heard all about you, Lord.
I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need,
help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger,
remember your mercy.
3 I see God moving across the deserts from Edom,[b]
the Holy One coming from Mount Paran.[c]
His brilliant splendor fills the heavens,
and the earth is filled with his praise.
4 His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise.
Rays of light flash from his hands,
where his awesome power is hidden.
5 Pestilence marches before him;
plague follows close behind.
6 When he stops, the earth shakes.
When he looks, the nations tremble.
He shatters the everlasting mountains
and levels the eternal hills.
He is the Eternal One![d]
7 I see the people of Cushan in distress,
and the nation of Midian trembling in terror.
8 Was it in anger, Lord, that you struck the rivers
and parted the sea?
Were you displeased with them?
No, you were sending your chariots of salvation!
9 You brandished your bow
and your quiver of arrows.
You split open the earth with flowing rivers.
10 The mountains watched and trembled.
Onward swept the raging waters.
The mighty deep cried out,
lifting its hands in submission.
11 The sun and moon stood still in the sky
as your brilliant arrows flew
and your glittering spear flashed.
12 You marched across the land in anger
and trampled the nations in your fury.
13 You went out to rescue your chosen people,
to save your anointed ones.
You crushed the heads of the wicked
and stripped their bones from head to toe.
14 With his own weapons,
you destroyed the chief of those
who rushed out like a whirlwind,
thinking Israel would be easy prey.
15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
and the mighty waters piled high.
16 I trembled inside when I heard this;
my lips quivered with fear.
My legs gave way beneath me,[e]
and I shook in terror.
I will wait quietly for the coming day
when disaster will strike the people who invade us.
17 Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,[f]
able to tread upon the heights.
(For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 3:1 Hebrew adds according to shigionoth, probably indicating the musical setting for the prayer.
- 3:3a Hebrew Teman.
- 3:3b Hebrew adds selah; also in 3:9, 13. The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; it is probably a musical or literary term.
- 3:6 Or The ancient paths belong to him.
- 3:16 Hebrew Decay entered my bones.
- 3:19 Or He gives me the speed of a deer.
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.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. 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.