Habakkuk 3

God’s People Saved

¹A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.[#3:1 Perhaps a highly emotional poetic form]

²¶Lord , I have heard the report about You, and I was afraid.[#3:2 Or Your report; #3:2 Or I am in awe, O Lord , of Your work; In the midst of the years revive it,]

Lord , revive Your work in the midst of the years,

In the midst of the years make it known.

In anger remember mercy.

³¶God comes from Teman,

And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah

His splendor covers the heavens,

And the earth is full of His praise.

⁴His radiance is like the sunlight;

He has rays flashing from His hand,

And the hiding of His might is there.

⁵Before Him goes plague,

And plague comes forth after Him.

⁶He stood and caused the earth to shudder;

He looked and caused the nations to jump.

Yes, the everlasting mountains were shattered,

The ancient hills collapsed.

His paths are everlasting.

⁷I saw the tents of Cushan under distress,

The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

⁸¶Did the Lord rage against the rivers,

Or was Your anger against the rivers,

Or was Your rage against the sea,

That You rode on Your horses,

On Your chariots of salvation?

⁹You removed Your bow from its holder,

The arrows of Your word were sworn. Selah

You divided the earth with rivers.

¹⁰The mountains saw You and quaked;

The downpour of waters swept by.

The deep raised its voice,

It lifted high its hands.

¹¹Sun and moon stood in their lofty places;

They went away at the light of Your arrows,

At the radiance of Your flashing spear.

¹²In indignation You marched through the earth;

In anger You trampled the nations.

¹³You went forth for the salvation of Your people,

For the salvation of Your anointed.

You smashed the head of the house of evil

To uncover him from foot to neck. Selah

¹⁴You pierced with his own arrows[#3:14 Lit shafts]

The head of his leaders.

They stormed in to scatter us;

Their arrogance was like those

Who devour the oppressed in secret.

¹⁵You trampled on the sea with Your horses,

On the foam of many waters.

¹⁶¶I heard, and my inner parts trembled;[#3:16 Lit belly]

At the sound, my lips quivered.

Decay enters my bones,

And in my place I tremble;

Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,

For the people to arise who will attack us.

¹⁷Even if the fig tree does not blossom,

And there is no fruit on the vines,

If the yield of the olive fails,

And the fields produce no food,

Even if the flock disappears from the fold,

And there are no cattle in the stalls,

¹⁸Yet I will triumph in the Lord ,

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

¹⁹The Lord God is my strength,[#3:19 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord]

And He has made my feet like deer’s feet,

And has me walk on my high places.

For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.