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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”

God’s People Saved

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to [a]Shigionoth.

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.

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.
His (J)radiance is like the sunlight;
He has rays flashing from His hand,
And the hiding of His (K)might is there.
Before Him goes (L)plague,
And (M)plague comes forth [e]after Him.
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.
I saw the tents of Cushan under (P)distress,
The tent curtains of the land of (Q)Midian were trembling.

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?
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.

Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 3:1 Perhaps a highly emotional poetic form
  2. Habakkuk 3:2 Or Your report
  3. Habakkuk 3:2 Or I am in awe, O Lord, of Your work; In the midst of the years revive it,
  4. Habakkuk 3:2 Or compassion
  5. Habakkuk 3:5 Lit at His feet
  6. Habakkuk 3:6 Lit cowered
  7. Habakkuk 3:9 Lit oaths
  8. Habakkuk 3:12 Or threshed
  9. Habakkuk 3:13 Lit base
  10. Habakkuk 3:14 Lit shafts
  11. Habakkuk 3:14 Or villagers
  12. Habakkuk 3:14 Lit me
  13. Habakkuk 3:16 Lit belly
  14. Habakkuk 3:16 Or sigh for
  15. Habakkuk 3:16 Or To come upon the people who will
  16. Habakkuk 3:17 Lit produce
  17. Habakkuk 3:19 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord