Habakkuk 3

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.

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

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, Lord, of your fame, I have seen, Lord, your work; through the years you have make yourself known, in wrath you remember 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 comes from Teman, and the Holy One from the mountain-land of Paran. (Selah) His glory covers the heavens, and his splendor fills the earth.

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

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

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

Before him pestilence stalks, after him plague follows.

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.

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.

7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian trembled.

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

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

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?

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thy anointed; thou didst wound the head out of the house of the wicked, by laying bare the foundation to the neck. (Selah)

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)

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

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

15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thy horses, through the mire of great waters.

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

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 to the people, he will invade them with his troops.

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.

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 food; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

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,

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

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

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

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.