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The Prayer of Habakkuk

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
O Yahweh, I have heard the report of you;
    O Yahweh, I stand in awe of your works.
In the midst of the years, revive it!
    In the midst of the years, make it known!
    In wrath, may you remember to show compassion.
God came from Teman;
    the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covers the heavens,
    and his praise fills the earth.
And his brightness was like the light;
    flashing rays came from his hand for him;
    And there is the covering of his strength.
Before him went Disease,[a]
    and Pestilence[b] went out at his feet.
He stood and measured the earth;
    he looked and made the nations tremble.
Then the mountains of old were shattered;
    the hills of old collapsed.
    The ways of old belong to him.
Under affliction I saw the tents of Cushan;
    the tent curtains of the land of Midian trembled.
Was the anger of Yahweh against the rivers?
    Was your wrath against the rivers,
    or your fury against the sea,
when you mounted upon your horses,
    upon your victory chariot?
You laid bare the nakedness of your bow,
    swearing oaths with the arrows of your word.
    You split the earth with rivers.
10 When the mountains saw you they writhed;
    a torrent of waters swept by;
the deep gave its voice;
    it raised its hands on high.
11 Sun and moon stood still in their place;
    at the light of your arrows they moved about;
    at the gleam of the flashing of your spear.
12 In fury you marched through the earth;
    in anger you trampled the nations.
13 You went forth for the salvation of your people,
    for the salvation of your anointed.
You crushed the head of the house of wickedness,
    laying bare from the foundation to the top.[c]
14 You pierced the head of his warriors with his own arrows;
    they came like a whirlwind to scatter me,
    their exultation like one who devours the afflicted in ambush.
15 You trampled upon the sea with your horses,
    the churning of many waters.
16 I hear and my stomach shakes;
    my lips quiver at the sound;
infection enters my bones;
    that which is beneath me trembles;
I wait quietly for the day of trouble
    to come upon the people attacking us.
17 Though the fig tree does not blossom,
    nor there be fruit on the vines;
the yield of the olive tree fails,
    and the cultivated fields do not yield food;
the flock is cut off from the animal pen,
    and there is no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will rejoice in Yahweh;
    I will exult in the God of my salvation.
19 Yahweh, my Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer;
    he causes me to walk on my high places.
To the choirmaster with stringed instruments.

Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 3:5 The Hebrew term is also the name of a Canaanite deity
  2. Habakkuk 3:5 The Hebrew term is also the name of a Canaanite deity
  3. Habakkuk 3:13 Or “to the neck”

The Lord’s victory

The prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth:

Lord, I have heard your reputation.
        I have seen your work.
Over time, revive it.
        Over time, make it known.
Though angry, remember compassion.
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.
His radiance is like the sunlight,
        with rays flashing from his hand.
        That is the hiding place of his power.
Pestilence walks in front of him.
        Plague marches at his feet.
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.
I saw the tents of Cushan under duress.
        The curtains of the land of Midian were quaking.

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?
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

  1. Habakkuk 3:9 Heb uncertain
  2. Habakkuk 3:10 Heb uncertain
  3. Habakkuk 3:14 Or me
  4. Habakkuk 3:16 Or I tremble beneath me.
  5. Habakkuk 3:19 Or my heights