Habakkuk 3

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

A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet on Behalf of Those Who Are Ignorant.

2 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.

Lord, I heard what has been said about you, and I was afraid. Lord, your work, in the midst of years, revive it. In the midst of years, you will make it known. When you have become angry, you will remember mercy.

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

God will come from the south, and the Holy One from mount Pharan. His glory has covered the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise.

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

His brightness shall be like the light; horns are in his hands. There, his strength has been hidden.

5 Plague went before him, and pestilence followed his feet.

Death will go forth before his face. And the devil shall depart before his feet.

6 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.

He stood, and measured the earth. He looked, and dissolved the Gentiles. And the mountains of ages past have been shattered. The hills of the world became curved by the journeys of his eternity.

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

I saw the tents of Ethiopia for their iniquity; the tent-skins of the land of Midian will be thrown into confusion.

8 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?

Could you have been angry with the rivers, Lord? Or was your fury within the rivers, or your indignation in the sea? He will ascend upon your horses, and your four-horse chariots are salvation.

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

Being stirred up, you will take up your bow, the oaths you have spoken to the tribes. You will split apart the Rivers of the earth.

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

They saw you, and the mountains grieved. The great body of waters crossed over. The abyss uttered its voice. The pinnacle lifted up its hands.

11 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.

The sun and the moon have stood firm in their dwelling place; with the light of your arrows, they shall go forth in the splendor of your flashing spear.

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

With a roar, you will trample the earth. In your fury, you will cause the nations to be stupefied.

13 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)

You have gone forth for the salvation of your people, for salvation with your Christ. You struck the head of the house of the impious. You have laid bare his foundation all the way to the neck.

14 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.

You have cursed his scepters, the head of his warriors, those who approached like a whirlwind so as to scatter me. Their exultation was like one who devours the poor in secret.

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

You made a way in the sea for your horses, in the mud of great waters.

16 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.

I heard, and my stomach became troubled. My lips trembled at the voice. Let decay enter into my bones and gush forth from within me. Then I may rest in the day of tribulation, so that I may ascend to our people well-prepared.

17 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,

For the fig tree will not flower, and there will be no bud on the vines. The labor of the olive tree will be misleading, and the farmland will produce no food. The sheep will be cut off from the sheepfold, and there will be no herd at the manger.

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

But I will rejoice in the Lord; and I will exult in God my Jesus.

19 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.

The Lord God is my strength. And he will set my feet like those of the stag. And he, the victor, will lead me beyond my high places while singing psalms.