Habakkuk 3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Habakkuk’s Third Prayer
3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. According to Shigionoth.[a](A)
2 Lord, I have heard the report about You;
Lord, I stand in awe of Your deeds.
Revive Your work in these years;
make it known in these years.
In Your wrath remember mercy!
3 God comes from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.(B)
His splendor covers the heavens,
and the earth is full of His praise.(C)
4 His brilliance is like light;
rays are flashing from His hand.
This is where His power is hidden.
5 Plague goes before Him,
and pestilence follows in His steps.
6 He stands and shakes[b] the earth;
He looks and startles the nations.
The age-old mountains break apart;
the ancient hills sink down.
His pathways are ancient.
7 I see the tents of Cushan[c] in distress;
the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.
8 Are You angry at the rivers, Lord?
Is Your wrath against the rivers?
Or is Your rage against the sea
when You ride on Your horses,
Your victorious chariot?
9 You took the sheath from Your bow;
the arrows are ready[d] to be used with an oath.[e](D)
You split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains see You and shudder;(E)
a downpour of water sweeps by.
The deep roars with its voice(F)
and lifts its waves[f] high.
11 Sun and moon stand still in their lofty residence,(G)
at the flash of Your flying arrows,
at the brightness of Your shining spear.
12 You march across the earth with indignation;
You trample down the nations in wrath.
13 You come out to save Your people,
to save Your anointed.[g]
You crush the leader of the house of the wicked
and strip him from foot[h] to neck.
14 You pierce his head
with his own spears;
his warriors storm out to scatter us,
gloating as if ready to secretly devour the weak.
15 You tread the sea with Your horses,
stirring up the great waters.(H)
Habakkuk’s Confidence in God Expressed
16 I heard, and I trembled within;(I)
my lips quivered at the sound.
Rottenness entered my bones;
I trembled where I stood.
Now I must quietly wait for the day of distress
to come against the people invading us.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there is no fruit on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will triumph in Yahweh;
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!(J)
19 Yahweh my Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like those of a deer(K)
and enables me to walk on mountain heights!(L)
For the choir director: on[i] stringed instruments.
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 3:1 Perhaps a passionate song with rapid changes of rhythm, or a dirge
- Habakkuk 3:6 Or surveys
- Habakkuk 3:7 = Midian
- Habakkuk 3:9 Or set
- Habakkuk 3:9 Hb obscure
- Habakkuk 3:10 Lit hands
- Habakkuk 3:13 The Davidic king or the nation of Israel
- Habakkuk 3:13 Lit foundation
- Habakkuk 3:19 Lit on my
Habakkuk 3
Common English Bible
The Lord’s victory
3 The prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth:
2 Lord, I have heard your reputation.
I have seen your work.
Over time, revive it.
Over time, make it known.
Though angry, remember compassion.
3 God comes from Teman
and the holy one from the mountain of Paran. Selah
His majesty covers the heavens
and his praise fills the earth.
4 His radiance is like the sunlight,
with rays flashing from his hand.
That is the hiding place of his power.
5 Pestilence walks in front of him.
Plague marches at his feet.
6 He stops and measures the earth.
He looks and sets out against the nations.
The everlasting mountains collapse;
the eternal hills bow down;
the eternal paths belong to him.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan under duress.
The curtains of the land of Midian were quaking.
8 Was 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?
9 You 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.
12 In fury, you stride the earth;
in anger you tread the nations.
13 You 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
14 You 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.
15 You make your horses tread on the sea;
turbulent waters foam.
The prophet responds
16 I 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.
17 Though 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;
18 I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will rejoice in the God of my deliverance.
19 The Lord God is my strength.
He will set my feet like the deer.
He will let me walk upon the heights.[e]
To the director, with stringed instruments
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 3:9 Heb uncertain
- Habakkuk 3:10 Heb uncertain
- Habakkuk 3:14 Or me
- Habakkuk 3:16 Or I tremble beneath me.
- Habakkuk 3:19 Or my heights
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