< Habakkuk 3 >

1 A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet on Behalf of Those Who Are Ignorant.
This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth:
2 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.
O LORD, I have heard the report of You; I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds. Revive them in these years; make them known in these years. In Your wrath, remember mercy!
3 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.
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. (Selah) His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth.
4 His brightness shall be like the light; horns are in his hands. There, his strength has been hidden.
His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.
5 Death will go forth before his face. And the devil shall depart before his feet.
Plague went before Him, and fever followed in His steps.
6 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.
He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains crumbled; the perpetual hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.
7 I saw the tents of Ethiopia for their iniquity; the tent-skins of the land of Midian will be thrown into confusion.
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress; the curtains of Midian were trembling.
8 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.
Were You angry at the rivers, O LORD? Was Your wrath against the streams? Did You rage against the sea when You rode on Your horses, on Your chariots of salvation?
9 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.
You brandished Your bow; You called for many arrows. (Selah) You split the earth with rivers.
10 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.
The mountains saw You and quaked; torrents of water swept by. The deep roared with its voice and lifted its hands on high.
11 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.
Sun and moon stood still in their places at the flash of Your flying arrows, at the brightness of Your shining spear.
12 With a roar, you will trample the earth. In your fury, you will cause the nations to be stupefied.
You marched across the earth with fury; You threshed the nations in wrath.
13 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.
You went forth for the salvation of Your people, to save Your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked and stripped him from head to toe.
14 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.
With his own spear You pierced his head, when his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though ready to secretly devour the weak.
15 You made a way in the sea for your horses, in the mud of great waters.
You trampled the sea with Your horses, churning the great waters.
16 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.
I heard and trembled within; my lips quivered at the sound. Decay entered my bones; I trembled where I stood. Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress to come upon the people who invade us.
17 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.
Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls,
18 But I will rejoice in the Lord; and I will exult in God my Jesus.
yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!
19 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.
GOD the Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer; He makes me walk upon the heights!

< Habakkuk 3 >