Habakkuk 3

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to the Shigionoth.

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

2 I have heard, Lord, of your fame, I have seen, Lord, your work; through the years you have make yourself known, in wrath you remember mercy.

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

3 God comes from Teman, and the Holy One from the mountain-land of Paran. (Selah) His glory covers the heavens, and his splendour fills the earth.

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

4 Before him it is like the light, rays he has at his side, where his power is hidden.

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

5 Before him pestilence stalks, after him plague follows.

Plague went before him, and pestilence followed his feet.

6 He stands, and the earth trembles, he looks, and the nations melt away, and the mountains of old are scattered, the everlasting hills bow down. These are his ways from of old.

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 The tents of Cushan are afraid, the curtains of Midian tremble.

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

8 Is your wrath, Lord, with the rivers? Is your anger against the streams? Or your rage against the sea? Is that why you ride on your war-steeds? Why you mount your chariots of victory?

Was Jehovah 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 Why you bare your bow? Why you fill your quiver with shafts? You split the earth with torrents.

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

10 The mountains see you and writhe. The tempest of waters sweeps by. The great deep sends forth its voice, and lifts up its hands.

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 forgets to rise. The moon stands still in its place. Your arrows go forth to give light. Your glittering spear is as lightning.

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 In rage you stride over the earth. In wrath you trample the nations.

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

13 You go forth to save your people. You go to help your anointed. You crush the head of the wicked nation, laying him bare from thigh to neck. (Selah)

You went forth 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 You pierced his head with his spears, as his champions storm out to scatter us, as they rejoice to devour the poor secretly.

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 tread the sea with your horses, while the mighty waters roar.

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

16 I hear, and my body trembles, and at the sound my lips quiver. My bones begin to decay, and my footsteps totter beneath me, while I long for the day of distress to come upon those who attack 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 Though the fig tree bears no fruit, and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive harvest fails, and the fields produce no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls,

For 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 yet I will exult in the Lord, and rejoice in the God who saves me.

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

19 The Lord God is my strength; he makes my feet as sure as the feet of deer, and causes me to walk on the heights! To the music director: Use stringed instruments.

Jehovah 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.