Habakkuk 3
1 A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet on Behalf of Those Who Are Ignorant.
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to the 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.
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 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 comes from Teman, and the Holy One from the mountain-land of Paran. (Selah) His glory covers the heavens, and his splendour fills the earth.
4 His brightness shall be like the light; horns are in his hands. There, his strength has been hidden.
Before him it is like the light, rays he has at his side, where his power is hidden.
5 Death will go forth before his face. And the devil shall depart before his feet.
Before him pestilence stalks, after him plague follows.
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 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 Ethiopia for their iniquity; the tent-skins of the land of Midian will be thrown into confusion.
The tents of Cushan are afraid, the curtains of Midian tremble.
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.
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 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.
Why you bare your bow? Why you fill your quiver with shafts? You split the earth with torrents.
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 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 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.
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 With a roar, you will trample the earth. In your fury, you will cause the nations to be stupefied.
In rage you stride over the earth. In wrath you trample the nations.
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 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 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.
You pierced his head with his spears, as his champions storm out to scatter us, as they rejoice to devour the poor secretly.
15 You made a way in the sea for your horses, in the mud of great waters.
You tread the sea with your horses, while the mighty waters roar.
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 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 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 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 But I will rejoice in the Lord; and I will exult in God my Jesus.
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 set my feet like those of the stag. And he, the victor, will lead me beyond my high places while singing psalms.
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.
