Habakkuk 3
Habakkuk’s Vision of the Divine Warrior
1 This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet:t
2 Lord, I have heard the report of what you did;t
I am awed,tLord, by what you accomplished.t
In our timet repeat those deeds;t
in our time reveal them again.t
But when you cause turmoil, remember to show us mercy!t
3 God comest from Teman,s
the sovereignt one from Mount Paran.sSelah.t
His splendor covers the skies,t
his gloryt fills the earth.
4 He is as bright as lightning;t
a two-pronged lightning bolt flashes from his hand.t
This is the outward display of his power.t
5 Plague goes before him;
pestilencets marches right behind him.t
6 He takes his battle positiont and shakest the earth;
with a mere look he frightenst the nations.
The ancient mountains disintegrate;t
the primeval hills are flattened.
He travels on the ancient roads.t
7 I see the tents of Cushan overwhelmed by trouble;ts
the tent curtains of the land of Midian are shaking.t
8 Is the Lord mad at the rivers?
Are you angry with the rivers?
Are you enraged at the sea?s
Is this whyt you climb into your horse-drawn chariots,t
your victorious chariots?t
9 Your bow is ready for action;t
you commission your arrows.tSelah.
You cause flash floods on the earth’s surface.ts
10 When the mountains see you, they shake.
The torrential downpour sweeps through.t
The great deeps shouts out;
it lifts its hands high.s
11 The sun and moon stand still in their courses;t
the flash of your arrows drives them away,t
the bright light of your lightning-quick spear.t
12 You furiously stomp on the earth,
you angrily trample down the nations.
13 You march out to deliver your people,
to deliver your special servant.t
You strike the leader of the wicked nation,t
laying him open from the lower body to the neck.tSelah.
14 You pierce the heads of his warriorst with a spear.s
They storm forward to scatter us;t
they shout with joy as if they were plundering the poor with no opposition.t
15 But you trample on the sea with your horses,
on the surging, raging waters.t
Habakkuk Declares His Confidence
16 I listened and my stomach churned;t
the sound made my lips quiver.
My frame went limp, as if my bones were decaying,t
and I shook as I tried to walk.s
I longt for the day of distress
to come upont the people who attack us.
17 Whent the fig tree does not bud,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
when the olive trees do not produce,t
and the fields yield no crops;t
when the sheep disappeart from the pen,
and there are no cattle in the stalls,
18 I will rejoice because oft the Lord;
I will be happy because of the God who delivers me!
19 The sovereign Lord is my source of strength.t
He gives me the agility of a deer;t
he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.ts
(This prayer is for the song leader. It is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)t
HABAKKUK 3
Habakkuk's Prayer
1 This is my prayer:t
2 I know your reputation, [Lord],
and I am amazed
at what you have done.
Please turn from your anger
and be merciful;
do for us what you did
for our ancestors.
3 You are the same Holy God
who came from Teman
and Parant to help us.
The brightness of your glory
covered the heavens,
and your praises were heard
everywhere on earth.
4 Your glory shone like the sun,
and light flashed from your hands,
hiding your mighty power.
5 Dreadful diseases and plagues
marched in front
and followed behind.
6 When you stopped,
the earth shook;
when you stared,
nations trembled;
when you walked
along your ancient paths,
eternal mountains and hills
crumbled and collapsed.
7 The tents of desert tribes
in Cushan and Midiant
were ripped apart.
8 Our [Lord], were you angry
with the monsters
of the deep?t
You attacked in your chariot
and wiped them out.
9 Your arrows were ready
and obeyed your commands.t
You split the earth apart
with rivers and streams;
10 mountains trembled
at the sight of you;
rain poured from the clouds;
ocean waves roared and rose.
11 The sun and moon stood still,
while your arrows and spears
flashed like lightning.
12 In your furious anger,
you trampled on nations
13 to rescue your people
and save your chosen one.t
You crushed a nation's ruler
and stripped his evil kingdom
of its power.t
14 His troops had come like a storm,
hoping to scatter us
and glad to gobble us up.
To them we were refugees
in hiding—
but you smashed their heads
with their own weapons.t
15 Then your chariots churned
the waters of the sea.Habakkuk's Response //to God's Message
16 When I heard this message, t
I felt weak from fear,
and my lips quivered.
My bones seemed to melt,
and I stumbled around.
But I will patiently wait.
Someday those vicious enemies
will be struck by disaster.tTrust in a Time //of Trouble
17 Fig trees may no longer bloom,
or vineyards produce grapes;
olive trees may be fruitless,
and harvest time a failure;
sheep pens may be empty,
and cattle stalls vacant—
18 but I will still celebrate
because the [Lord] God
is my Savior.
19 t The [Lord] gives me strength.
He makes my feet as sure
as those of a deer,
and he helps me stand
on the mountains.t
To the music director:
Use stringed instruments.