Ambacum 3

1 A PRAYER OF THE PROPHET AMBACUM, WITH A SONG.

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, [set] on shigionoth:

2 O Lord, I have heard your report, and was afraid: I considered your works, and was amazed: you shall be known between the two living creatures, you shall be acknowledged when the years draw near; you shall be manifested when the time is come; when my soul is troubled, you will in wrath remember mercy.

O YHWH, I heard your report, I have been afraid, O YHWH, Your work! In midst of years revive it, In the midst of years You make known, In anger You remember mercy.

3 God shall come from Thaeman, and the Holy One from the dark shady mount Pharan. (Pause)

God comes from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. (Pause) His splendor has covered the heavens, And His praise has filled 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.

And the brightness is as the light, He has rays out of His hand, And there—the hiding of His strength.

5 Before his face shall go a report, and it shall go forth into the plains,

Before Him goes pestilence, And a burning flame goes forth at His feet.

6 the earth stood at his feet and trembled: he saw, and the nations melted away: the mountains were violently burst through, the everlasting hills melted at his everlasting going forth.

He has stood, and He measures earth, He has seen, and He shakes off nations, And mountains of antiquity scatter themselves, The hills of old have bowed, The ways of old [are] His.

7 Because of troubles I looked upon the tents of the Ethiopians: the tabernacles also of the land of Madiam shall be dismayed.

Under sorrow I have seen tents of Cushan, Curtains of the land of Midian tremble.

8 Was you angry, O Lord, with the rivers? or [was] your wrath against the rivers, or your anger against the sea? for you will mount on your horses, and your chariots are salvation.

Has YHWH been angry against rivers? Against rivers [is] Your anger? [Is] Your wrath against the sea? For You ride on Your horses—Your chariots of salvation.

9 Surely you did bend they bow at sceptres, says the Lord. (Pause) The land of rivers shall be torn asunder.

You make Your bow utterly naked, The tribes have sworn, saying, (Pause) You cleave the earth [with] rivers.

10 The nations shall see you and be in pain, [as you do] divide the moving waters: the deep uttered her voice, and raised her form on high.

Seen You—pained are mountains, An inundation of waters has passed over, The deep has given forth its voice, It has lifted up its hands high.

11 The sun was exalted, and the moon stood still in her course: your darts shall go forth at the light, at the brightness of the gleaming of your arms.

Sun—moon—has stood—a habitation, Your arrows go on at the light, At the brightness, the glittering of Your spear.

12 You will bring low the land with threatening, and in wrath you will break down the nations.

In indignation You tread earth, In anger You thresh nations.

13 You went forth for the salvation of your people, to save your anointed: you shall bring death on the heads of transgressors; you has brought bands upon [their] neck. (Pause)

You have gone forth for the salvation of Your people, For salvation with Your Anointed, You have struck the head of the house of the wicked, Laying bare the foundation to the neck. (Pause)

14 You did 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 have pierced the head of his leaders with his own rods, They are tempestuous to scatter me, Their exultation [is] as to consume the poor in secret.

15 And you do cause your horses to enter the sea, disturbing much water.

You have proceeded through the sea with Your horses—the clay of many waters.

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 have heard, and my belly trembles, At the noise have my lips quivered, Rottenness comes into my bones, And in my place I tremble, That I rest for a day of distress, At the coming up of the people, he overcomes it.

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 does not flourish, And there is no produce among vines, The work of the olive has failed, And fields have not yielded food, The flock has been 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, in YHWH I exult, I am joyful in the God of my salvation.

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.

YHWH the Lord [is] my strength, And He makes my feet like does, And causes me to tread on my high-places. To the overseer with my stringed instruments!