Habakkuk 3

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.

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

2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, [and] was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

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.

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

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

4 And [his] brightness was as the light; he had horns [coming] out of his hand: and there [was] the hiding of his power.

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

5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.

Plague goes before him, disease follows at his feet.

6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways [are] everlasting.

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.

7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: [and] the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

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

8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? [was] thine anger against the rivers? [was] thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses [and] thy chariots of salvation?

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?

9 Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word. (Selah) Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.

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

10 The mountains saw thee, [and] they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, [and] lifted up his hands on high.

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

11 The sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, [and] at the shining of thy glittering spear.

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

12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.

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

13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, [even] for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. (Selah)

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.

14 Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing [was] as to devour the poor secretly.

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.

15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, [through] the heap of great waters.

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

16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.

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.

17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither [shall] fruit [be] in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and [there shall be] no herd in the stalls:

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;

18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

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

19 The LORD God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ [feet], and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

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.)