Habakkuk 3

1 This is a prayer sung by the prophet Habakkuk. On Shigonoth.

A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music.

2 I have heard what is said about you, Lord. I stand in awe of your work. Lord, revive it in our times; make it known in our times. In your anger, please remember your mercy.

Yahweh, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, Yahweh. Renew your work in the middle of the years. In the middle of the years make it known. In wrath, you remember mercy.

3 God came from Teman; the Holy One from Mount Paran. (Selah) His glory covered the heavens; the earth was full of his praise.

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

4 His brightness is like lightning; rays flash from his hand from where his power is hidden.

His splendor is like the sunrise. Rays shine from his hand, where his power is hidden.

5 Plague goes before him, disease follows at his feet.

Plague went before him, and pestilence followed his feet.

6 Where he stands, the earth shakes. When he looks the nations tremble. The ancient mountains shatter, the age-old hills collapse, but his ways are eternal.

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

7 I saw the tents of Cushan suffering, the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction. The dwellings of the land of Midian trembled.

8 Did you burn with rage against the rivers, Lord? Were you angry with the rivers? Were you furious with the sea when you rode your horses and chariots of salvation?

Was Yahweh displeased with the rivers? Was your anger against the rivers, or your wrath against the sea, that you rode on your horses, on your chariots of salvation?

9 You took out your bow; you filled your quiver with arrows. (Selah) You split the earth open with rivers.

You uncovered your bow. You called for your sworn arrows. (Selah) You split the earth with rivers.

10 Mountains saw you and shook. Water poured down and swept by. The deep called out, lifting high its waves.

The mountains saw you, and were afraid. The storm of waters passed by. The deep roared and lifted up its hands on high.

11 The sun and moon stood still in the sky as your sparkling arrows flew and your spears flashed bright.

The sun and moon stood still in the sky at the light of your arrows as they went, at the shining of your glittering spear.

12 Indignant, you marched across the earth, trampling the nations in your anger.

You marched through the land in wrath. You threshed the nations in anger.

13 You came out to save your people, to save your chosen people. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, stripping him from thick to neck.

You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the land of wickedness. You stripped them head to foot. (Selah)

14 With his own arrows you pierced the heads of his warriors, those who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating like those who secretly abuse the poor.

You pierced the heads of his warriors with their own spears. They came as a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating as if to devour the wretched in secret.

15 You trod upon the sea with your horses, churning up the mighty waters.

You trampled the sea with your horses, churning mighty waters.

16 I shook inside when I heard this; my lips quivered at the sound; my bones turned to jelly; I trembled where I stood. I wait quietly for the day of trouble that will come upon those who attacked us.

I heard, and my body trembled. My lips quivered at the voice. Rottenness enters into my bones, and I tremble in my place because I must wait quietly for the day of trouble, for the coming up of the people who invade us.

17 Even though there are no blossoms on the fig trees and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no harvest; even though there are no animals in the pen and no cattle in the stalls;

For even though the fig tree doesn’t flourish, nor fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food, the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls,

18 still I will be happy in the Lord, joyful in the God of my salvation.

yet I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

19 The Lord God is my strength. He makes me able to walk in the highest mountains, as sure-footed as a deer. (To the music director: with my stringed instruments.)

Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and enables me to go in high places. For the music director, on my stringed instruments.