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.

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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

Habakkuk’s Prayer

This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk[a]:

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.

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.
His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise.
    Rays of light flash from his hands,
    where his awesome power is hidden.
Pestilence marches before him;
    plague follows close behind.
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]
I see the people of Cushan in distress,
    and the nation of Midian trembling in terror.

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!
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.)

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Footnotes

  1. 3:1 Hebrew adds according to shigionoth, probably indicating the musical setting for the prayer.
  2. 3:3a Hebrew Teman.
  3. 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.
  4. 3:6 Or The ancient paths belong to him.
  5. 3:16 Hebrew Decay entered my bones.
  6. 3:19 Or He gives me the speed of a deer.