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 of Faith

A prayer by the prophet Habakkuk, set to music.[a]

Lord, as I listen to what has been said about you,
    I am afraid.
Lord, revive your work throughout all of our lives—
    reveal yourself[b] throughout all of our lives—
when you[c] are angry,
    remember compassion.

God comes from Teman[d]
    the Holy One from Mount Paran.[e]
Interlude
His glory spreads throughout the heavens,
    and praises about him fill the earth.
His radiance is like sunlight;
    beams of light shine[f] from his hand,
        where his strength lays hidden.
Before him pestilence walks,
    and disease follows behind him.[g]

He stood up and shook the land;
    with his stare he startled the nations.
The age-old mountains were shattered,
    and the ancient hilltops bowed down.

His ways are eternal.

I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
    and the tent curtains of the land of Midian in anguish.
Was the Lord displeased with the rivers?
    Was your anger directed[h] against the watercourses
        or your wrath against the sea?
Indeed, you rode upon your horses,
    upon your chariots of deliverance.
Your bow was exposed,
    and your[i] arrows targeted by command.
Interlude
        You split the earth with rivers.
10 When the mountains looked upon you, they trembled;
    the overflowing water passed by,
the ocean shouted,
    and its waves[j] surged upward.
11 The sun and moon stand still in their orbits;
    at the glint of your arrows they speed along,
        even at the gleam of your flashing spear.
12 You march through the land in righteous[k] indignation;
    you tread down the nations in anger.
13 You marched out to deliver your people,
    to deliver with your anointed.
You struck the head of the house of the wicked;
    you stripped him naked from head to foot.
Interlude

14 With his own lances you pierced the heads of his warriors,
    who came out like a windstorm to scatter us[l]
        their joy is to devour the afflicted who are in hiding.
15 You rode on the sea with your horses,
    even riding[m] the crested waves of mighty waters.

Habakkuk’s Response

16 I heard and I trembled within.
    My lips quivered at the noise.
My legs gave way beneath me,[n]
    and I trembled.

Nevertheless, I await the day of distress
    that will dawn on our invaders.

17 Even though the fig tree does not blossom,
    and there are no grapes on the vines;
even if the olive harvest fails,
    and the fields produce nothing edible;
even if the flock is snatched from the sheepfold,
    and there is no herd in the stalls—
18 as for me, I will rejoice in the Lord.
    I will find my joy in the God who delivers me.
19 The Lord God is my strength—
    he will make my feet like those of a deer,
        equipping me to tread on my mountain heights.

For the choir director:

On my stringed instruments.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 3:1 Lit. prayer upon Shigionoth
  2. Habakkuk 3:2 The Heb. lacks yourself
  3. Habakkuk 3:2 The Heb. lacks you
  4. Habakkuk 3:3 I.e. an Edomite desert town
  5. Habakkuk 3:3 I.e. in the Sinai desert
  6. Habakkuk 3:4 The Heb. lacks shine
  7. Habakkuk 3:5 Lit. follows at his feet
  8. Habakkuk 3:8 The Heb. lacks directed
  9. Habakkuk 3:9 The Heb. lacks your
  10. Habakkuk 3:10 Lit. hands
  11. Habakkuk 3:12 The Heb. lacks righteous
  12. Habakkuk 3:14 Lit. me
  13. Habakkuk 3:15 The Heb. lacks even riding
  14. Habakkuk 3:16 Lit. Rottenness enters my bones