1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.[1]2Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.3God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran.[2] His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth.4His splendour was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden.5Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps.6He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed – but he marches on for ever.7I saw the tents of Cushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish.8Were you angry with the rivers, Lord? Was your wrath against the streams? Did you rage against the sea when you rode your horses and your chariots to victory?9You uncovered your bow, you called for many arrows. You split the earth with rivers;10the mountains saw you and writhed. Torrents of water swept by; the deep roared and lifted its waves on high.11Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear.12In wrath you strode through the earth and in anger you threshed the nations.13You 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.14With 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.15You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters.16I 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.17Though 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 sheepfold and no cattle in the stalls,18yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.19The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
Habbakuk 3
English Standard Version
Habakkuk’s Prayer
1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.2O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. (Ps 44:1; Ps 77:9; Ps 85:6; Ps 90:16; Hab 3:16)3God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. (De 33:2; 1Ch 1:45)4His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. (Eze 1:27)5Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels.[1] (Ex 12:29; 2Ki 19:35; 1Ch 21:11; Job 18:11)6He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways. (Ge 49:26; De 33:15; Ps 60:6; Isa 51:9; Mic 1:4; Na 1:5)7I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. (Jud 3:8; Jud 8:19)8Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation? (De 33:26; Ps 18:10; Ps 68:4; Ps 68:17; Ps 104:3; Ps 114:5; Isa 19:1; Isa 66:15)9You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows.[2] You split the earth with rivers. (Ps 78:15)10The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice; it lifted its hands on high. (Ex 14:22; Ex 15:8; Ex 19:18; Jud 5:5; Ps 93:3)11The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. (Jos 10:12; 2Sa 22:15; Hab 3:5)12You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. (Jos 10:42; Mic 4:12)13You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck.[3] (1Ch 16:22; Ps 68:21; Ps 105:15; Ps 110:6; Hab 3:12)14You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.15You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters. (Ps 77:19)16I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. (Ps 94:13; Pr 12:4; Isa 14:3; Jer 4:19; Hab 3:2)
Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord
17Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,18yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. (Job 13:15; Ps 9:14; Ps 13:5; Ps 21:1; Ps 35:9; Joe 2:23; Lu 1:47)19God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed[4] instruments. (De 32:13; De 33:29; 2Sa 2:18; Isa 38:20; Am 4:13; Mic 1:3)