Nahum 1:2-11

Common English Bible

Power of the creator

²The Lord is a jealous and vengeful God;
        the Lord is vengeful and strong in wrath.
    The Lord is vengeful against his foes;
        he rages against his enemies.
³The Lord is very patient but great in power;
        the Lord punishes.
    His way is in whirlwind and storm;
        clouds are the dust of his feet.
⁴He can blast the sea and make it dry up;
        he can dry up all the rivers.
    Bashan and Carmel wither;
        the bud of Lebanon withers.
⁵The mountains quake because of him;
        the hills melt away.
The earth heaves before him—
        the world and all who dwell in it.
⁶Who can stand before his indignation?
        Who can confront the heat of his fury?
    His wrath pours out like fire;
        the rocks are shattered because of him.
⁷The Lord is good,
        a haven in a day of distress.
    He acknowledges those who take refuge in him.
⁸With a rushing flood, he will utterly destroy her^[a] place
        and pursue his enemies into darkness.

A challenge to God’s enemies

⁹What are you plotting against the Lord?
        He is one who can annihilate!
        Distress will not arise twice.
¹⁰They are tangled up like thorns,
        like drunkards in their cups.
    They are consumed like stubble
        that is entirely dried up.
¹¹From you^[b] goes out
        one who plots evil against the Lord—
            a worthless counselor!

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Footnotes

Nahum 1:8 her; likely Nineveh
Nahum 1:11 you (feminine singular); likely Nineveh

Habakkuk 3

Common English Bible

The Lord’s victory

3 The prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth:

²Lord, I have heard your reputation.
        I have seen your work.
Over time, revive it.
        Over time, make it known.
Though angry, remember compassion.
³God comes from Teman
        and the holy one from the mountain of Paran. Selah
His majesty covers the heavens
        and his praise fills the earth.
⁴His radiance is like the sunlight,
        with rays flashing from his hand.
        That is the hiding place of his power.
⁵Pestilence walks in front of him.
        Plague marches at his feet.
⁶He 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.
⁷I saw the tents of Cushan under duress.
        The curtains of the land of Midian were quaking.

⁸Was 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?
⁹You 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.
¹²In fury, you stride the earth;
        in anger you tread the nations.
¹³You 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
¹⁴You 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.
¹⁵You make your horses tread on the sea;
        turbulent waters foam.

The prophet responds

¹⁶I 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.
¹⁷Though 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;
¹⁸I will rejoice in the Lord.
        I will rejoice in the God of my deliverance.
¹⁹The Lord God is my strength.
        He will set my feet like the deer.
        He will let me walk upon the heights.^[e]