God’s Deliverance of His People

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to [a]Shigionoth.

Lord, I have (A)heard [b]the report about You and [c]I (B)fear.
O Lord, (C)revive (D)Your work in the midst of the years,
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath 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 there is the hiding of His (K)power.
Before Him goes (L)pestilence,
And (M)plague comes [e]after Him.
He stood and surveyed the earth;
He looked and (N)startled the nations.
Yes, the perpetual mountains were shattered,
The ancient hills [f]collapsed.
His ways 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 wrath against the (S)sea,
That You (T)rode on Your horses,
On Your (U)chariots of salvation?
Your (V)bow was made bare,
The rods of [g]chastisement were sworn. Selah.
You (W)cleaved the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw You and quaked;
The downpour of waters swept by.
The deep (X)uttered forth its voice,
It lifted high its hands.
11 (Y)Sun and moon stood in their places;
They went away at the (Z)light of Your arrows,
At the radiance of Your gleaming 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 struck the (AE)head of the house of the evil
To lay him open from [i]thigh to neck. Selah.
14 You pierced with his (AF)own [j]spears
The head of his [k]throngs.
They (AG)stormed in to scatter [l]us;
Their exultation was like those
Who (AH)devour the oppressed in secret.
15 You (AI)trampled on the sea with Your horses,
On the (AJ)surge of many waters.

16 I heard and my [m]inward parts (AK)trembled,
At the sound my lips quivered.
Decay enters my (AL)bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must (AM)wait quietly for the day of distress,
[n]For the (AN)people to arise who will invade us.
17 Though the (AO)fig tree should not blossom
And there be no [o]fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the (AP)olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the (AQ)flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be (AR)no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will (AS)exult in the Lord,
I will (AT)rejoice in the (AU)God of my salvation.
19 The Lord [p]God is my (AV)strength,
And (AW)He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my (AX)high places.

For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.

Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 3:1 I.e. a highly emotional poetic form
  2. Habakkuk 3:2 Or Your report
  3. Habakkuk 3:2 Or I stand in awe of Your work, O Lord; 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 bowed; or sank down
  7. Habakkuk 3:9 Lit word
  8. Habakkuk 3:12 Or thresh
  9. Habakkuk 3:13 Lit foundation
  10. Habakkuk 3:14 Lit shafts
  11. Habakkuk 3:14 Or warriors or villagers
  12. Habakkuk 3:14 Lit me
  13. Habakkuk 3:16 Lit belly
  14. Habakkuk 3:16 Or To come upon the people who will
  15. Habakkuk 3:17 Lit produce
  16. Habakkuk 3:19 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord

Habakkuk’s Prayer

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.[a](A)

Lord, I have heard(B) of your fame;
    I stand in awe(C) of your deeds, Lord.(D)
Repeat(E) them in our day,
    in our time make them known;
    in wrath remember mercy.(F)

God came from Teman,(G)
    the Holy One(H) from Mount Paran.[b](I)
His glory covered the heavens(J)
    and his praise filled the earth.(K)
His splendor was like the sunrise;(L)
    rays flashed from his hand,
    where his power(M) was hidden.
Plague(N) went before him;
    pestilence followed his steps.
He stood, and shook the earth;
    he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled(O)
    and the age-old hills(P) collapsed(Q)
    but he marches on forever.(R)
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
    the dwellings of Midian(S) in anguish.(T)

Were you angry with the rivers,(U) Lord?
    Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea(V)
    when you rode your horses
    and your chariots to victory?(W)
You uncovered your bow,
    you called for many arrows.(X)
You split the earth with rivers;
10     the mountains saw you and writhed.(Y)
Torrents of water swept by;
    the deep roared(Z)
    and lifted its waves(AA) on high.

11 Sun and moon stood still(AB) in the heavens
    at the glint of your flying arrows,(AC)
    at the lightning(AD) of your flashing spear.
12 In wrath you strode through the earth
    and in anger you threshed(AE) the nations.
13 You came out(AF) to deliver(AG) your people,
    to save your anointed(AH) one.
You crushed(AI) the leader of the land of wickedness,
    you stripped him from head to foot.
14 With his own spear you pierced his head
    when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,(AJ)
gloating as though about to devour
    the wretched(AK) who were in hiding.
15 You trampled the sea(AL) with your horses,
    churning the great waters.(AM)

16 I heard and my heart pounded,
    my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
    and my legs trembled.(AN)
Yet I will wait patiently(AO) 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,(AP)
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,(AQ)
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,(AR)
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.(AS)

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;(AT)
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.(AU)

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 3:1 Probably a literary or musical term
  2. Habakkuk 3:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the middle of verse 9 and at the end of verse 13.