Ambacum 3
1 A PRAYER OF THE PROPHET AMBACUM, WITH A SONG.
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to the Shigionoth.
2 O Lord, I have heard thy report, and was afraid: I considered thy works, and was amazed: thou shalt be known between the two living creatures, thou shalt be acknowledged when the years draw nigh; thou shalt be manifested when the time is come; when my soul is troubled, thou wilt 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 shall come from Thaeman, and the Holy One from the dark shady mount Pharan. (Pause)
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 His excellence covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness shall be as light; [there were] horns in his hands, and he caused a mighty love of his strength.
Before him it is like the light, rays he has at his side, where his power is hidden.
5 Before his face shall go a report, and it shall go forth into the plains,
Before him pestilence stalks, after him plague follows.
6 the earth stood at his feet and trembled: he beheld, and the nations melted away: the mountains were violently burst through, the everlasting hills melted at his everlasting going forth.
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 Because of troubles I looked upon the tents of the Ethiopians: the tabernacles also of the land of Madiam shall be dismayed.
The tents of Cushan are afraid, the curtains of Midian tremble.
8 Wast thou angry, O Lord, with the rivers? or [was] thy wrath against the rivers, or thine anger against the sea? for thou wilt mount on thine horses, and thy chariots are 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 Surely thou didst bend they bow at scepters, saith the Lord. (Pause) The land of rivers shall be torn asunder.
Why you bare your bow? Why you fill your quiver with shafts? You split the earth with torrents.
10 The nations shall see thee and be in pain, [as thou dost] divide the moving waters: the deep uttered her voice, and raised her form 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 was exalted, and the moon stood still in her course: thy darts shall go forth at the light, at the brightness of the gleaming of thine arms.
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 wilt bring low the land with threatening, and in wrath thou wilt break down the nations.
In rage you stride over the earth. In wrath you trample the nations.
13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, to save thine anointed: thou shalt bring death on the heads of transgressors; thou has brought bands upon [their] neck. (Pause)
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 cut asunder the heads of princes with amazement, they shall tremble in it; they shall burst their bridles, [they shall be] as a poor man devouring in secret.
You pierced his head with his spears, as his champions storm out to scatter us, as they rejoice to devour the poor secretly.
15 And thou dost cause thine horses to enter the sea, disturbing much water.
You tread the sea with your horses, while the mighty waters roar.
16 I watched, and my belly trembled at the sound of the prayer of my lips, and trembling entered into my bones, and my frame was troubled within me; I will rest in the day of affliction, from going up to the people of my sojourning.
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 For [though] the fig-tree shall bear no fruit, and there shall be no produce on the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall produce no food: the sheep have failed from the pasture, and there are no oxen at the cribs;
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 exult in the Lord, I will joy in God my Saviour.
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 perfectly strengthen my feet; he mounts me upon high places, that I may conquer by his song.
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.
