Habakkuk 3
1 This is a prayer sung by the prophet Habakkuk. On Shigonoth.
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to the Shigionoth.
2 I have heard what is said about you, Lord. I stand in awe of your work. Lord, revive it in our times; make it known in our times. In your anger, please remember your 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 came from Teman; the Holy One from Mount Paran. (Selah) His glory covered the heavens; the earth was 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 is like lightning; rays flash from his hand from where his power is hidden.
Before him it is like the light, rays he has at his side, where his power is hidden.
5 Plague goes before him, disease follows at his feet.
Before him pestilence stalks, after him plague follows.
6 Where he stands, the earth shakes. When he looks the nations tremble. The ancient mountains shatter, the age-old hills collapse, but his ways are eternal.
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 Cushan suffering, the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.
The tents of Cushan are afraid, the curtains of Midian tremble.
8 Did you burn with rage against the rivers, Lord? Were you angry with the rivers? Were you furious with the sea when you rode your horses and chariots of 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 You took out your bow; you filled your quiver with arrows. (Selah) You split the earth open with rivers.
Why you bare your bow? Why you fill your quiver with shafts? You split the earth with torrents.
10 Mountains saw you and shook. Water poured down and swept by. The deep called out, lifting high its waves.
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 moon stood still in the sky as your sparkling arrows flew and your spears flashed bright.
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 Indignant, you marched across the earth, trampling the nations in your anger.
In rage you stride over the earth. In wrath you trample the nations.
13 You came out to save your people, to save your chosen people. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, stripping him from thick to 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 With his own arrows you pierced the heads of his warriors, those who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating like those who secretly abuse the poor.
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 trod upon the sea with your horses, churning up the mighty waters.
You tread the sea with your horses, while the mighty waters roar.
16 I shook inside when I heard this; my lips quivered at the sound; my bones turned to jelly; I trembled where I stood. I wait quietly for the day of trouble that will come upon those who attacked us.
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 Even though there are no blossoms on the fig trees and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no harvest; even though there are no animals in the pen and no cattle in the stalls;
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 still I will be happy in the Lord, joyful in the God of my salvation.
yet I will exult in the Lord, and rejoice in the God who saves me.
19 The Lord God is my strength. He makes me able to walk in the highest mountains, as sure-footed as a deer. (To the music director: with my stringed instruments.)
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.
