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A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music.

Yahweh, I have heard of your fame.
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Yahweh.
Renew your work in the middle of the years.
    In the middle of the years make it known.
    In wrath, you remember mercy.
God came from Teman,
    the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah.

His glory covered the heavens,
    and his praise filled the earth.
His splendor is like the sunrise.
    Rays shine from his hand, where his power is hidden.
Plague went before him,
    and pestilence followed his feet.
He stood, and shook the earth.
    He looked, and made the nations tremble.
    The ancient mountains were crumbled.
    The age-old hills collapsed.
    His ways are eternal.
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction.
    The dwellings of the land of Midian trembled.
Was Yahweh displeased with the rivers?
    Was your anger against the rivers,
    or your wrath against the sea,
    that you rode on your horses,
    on your chariots of salvation?
You uncovered your bow.
    You called for your sworn arrows. Selah.
You split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw you, and were afraid.
    The storm of waters passed by.
    The deep roared and lifted up its hands on high.
11 The sun and moon stood still in the sky,
    at the light of your arrows as they went,
    at the shining of your glittering spear.
12 You marched through the land in wrath.
    You threshed the nations in anger.
13 You went out for the salvation of your people,
    for the salvation of your anointed.
You crushed the head of the land of wickedness.
    You stripped them head to foot. Selah.

14 You pierced the heads of his warriors with their own spears.
    They came as a whirlwind to scatter me,
    gloating as if to devour the wretched in secret.
15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
    churning mighty waters.
16 I heard, and my body trembled.
    My lips quivered at the voice.
Rottenness enters into my bones, and I tremble in my place,
    because I must wait quietly for the day of trouble,
    for the coming up of the people who invade us.
17 For though the fig tree doesn’t flourish,
    nor fruit be in the vines;
    the labor of the olive fails,
    the fields yield no food;
    the flocks are cut off from the fold,
    and there is no herd in the stalls:
18 yet I will rejoice in Yahweh.
    I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
19 Yahweh, the Lord,[a] is my strength.
    He makes my feet like deer’s feet,
    and enables me to go in high places.

For the music director, on my stringed instruments.

Footnotes

  1. 3:19 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”

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”