Habakkuk 3

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, set to Shigionoth.

2 O Jehovah, I have heard the report of thee, and am afraid: O Jehovah, revive thy work in the midst of the years; In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.

3 God came from Teman, And the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of his praise.

4 And his brightness was as the light; He had rays coming forth from his hand; And there was the hiding of his power.

5 Before him went the pestilence, And fiery bolts went forth at his feet.

6 He stood, and measured the earth; He beheld, and drove asunder the nations; And the eternal mountains were scattered; The everlasting hills did bow; His goings were as of old.

7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

8 Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? Was thine anger against the rivers, Or thy wrath against the sea, That thou didst ride upon thy horses, Upon thy chariots of salvation?

9 Thy bow was made quite bare; The oaths to the tribes were a sure word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.

10 The mountains saw thee, and were afraid; The tempest of waters passed by; The deep uttered its voice, And lifted up its hands on high.

11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation, At the light of thine arrows as they went, At the shining of thy glittering spear.

12 Thou didst march though the land in indignation; Thou didst thresh the nations in anger.

13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, For the salvation of thine anointed; Thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked man, Laying bare the foundation even unto the neck. Selah.

14 Thou didst pierce with his own staves the head of his warriors: They came as a whirlwind to scatter me; Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.

15 Thou didst tread the sea with thy horses, The heap of mighty waters.

16 I heard, and my body trembled, My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entereth 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 that invadeth us.

17 For though the fig-tree shall not flourish, Neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labor of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall yield no food; The flock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd in the stalls:

18 Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19 Jehovah, the Lord, is my strength; And he maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, And will make me to walk upon my high places.

Habakkuk 3

Chapter 3

Habakkuk’s Prayer

1 This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkukt:
2 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.3 I see God moving across the deserts from Edom,t
the Holy One coming from Mount Paran.t
His brilliant splendor fills the heavens,
and the earth is filled with his praise.4 His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise.
Rays of light flash from his hands,
where his awesome power is hidden.5 Pestilence marches before him;
plague follows close behind.6 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!7 I see the people of Cushan in distress,
and the nation of Midian trembling in terror.8 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!9 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 to the LORD.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,t
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,t
able to tread upon the heights.
(For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)