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 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth .

2 Lord, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.
Renew them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy.

3 God came from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.
Selah
His glory covered the heavens
and his praise filled the earth.

4 His splendor was like the sunrise;
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power was hidden.

5 Plague went before him;
pestilence followed his steps.

6 He stood, and shook the earth;
he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
and the age-old hills collapsed.
His ways are eternal.

7 I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
the dwellings of Midian in anguish.

8 Were you angry with the rivers, O Lord?
Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
when you rode with your horses
and your victorious chariots?

9 You uncovered your bow,
you called for many arrows.
Selah
You split the earth with rivers;

10 the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
the deep roared
and lifted its waves on high.

11 Sun and moon stood still in the heavens
at the glint of your flying arrows,
at the lightning of your flashing spear.

12 In wrath you strode through the earth
and in anger you threshed the nations.

13 You came out to deliver your people,
to save your anointed one.
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
you stripped him from head to foot.
Selah

14 With his own spear you pierced his head
when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
gloating as though about to devour
the wretched who were in hiding.

15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
churning the great waters.

16 I heard and my heart pounded,
my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
to come on the nation invading us.

17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.