Habakkuk 3
1 Yahweh, I have heard about you; I revere you because of [all the amazing] things that you have done. In our time, do again [some of] those things that you did long ago! Even when you are angry [with us], be merciful [to us]!
The prayer of Habakkuk the prophet:
Yahweh, I have heard your report, and I am afraid. Yahweh, revive your work in the midst of these times; in the midst of these times make it known; remember to have compassion in your wrath.
3 [In the vision, I saw] God, the Holy One, coming from the Teman [district in Edom]; [and I also saw] him coming from the Paran Hills [in the Sinai area]. His glory filled the sky, and the earth was full of [people who were] praising him.
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. (Selah) His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
4 His glory was like [SIM] a sunrise; rays flashed from his hands where he hides his power.
With brightness like the light, two-pronged rays flash from his hand; and there he hid his power.
5 He sent plagues in front of him, and [other] plagues came behind him.
Deadly disease went before him, and the plague followed him.
6 When he stopped, the earth shook. When he looked at the nations, [all the people] trembled. The hills and mountains that have existed for a very long time [HYP] collapsed and crumbled. Yahweh is the one who exists eternally/forever!
He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations. Even the eternal mountains were shattered, and the everlasting hills bowed down. His path is everlasting.
7 [In the vision] I saw the [people who live in] tents in the Cushan [region] being afflicted, and the people in the Midian [region] trembling.
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction, and the fabric of the tents in the land of Midian trembling.
8 Yahweh, was it because you were angry with the rivers and streams that you were angry with them? Did the seas cause you to be furious, with the result that you rode through them with horses that were pulling chariots that enabled you to defeat them?
Was Yahweh angry at the rivers? Was your wrath against the rivers, or your fury against the sea, when you rode upon your horses and your victorious chariots?
9 [It was as though] you uncovered your bow, took arrows from your quiver, [and prepared to shoot them]. [Then with lightning] you split open the earth, and streams burst forth.
You have brought out your bow without a cover; you put arrows to your bow! (Selah) You divided the earth with rivers.
10 [It is as though] the mountains saw you [doing that], and they trembled. Floods rushed by; [it was as though] the deep ocean roared and caused its waves to rise up high.
The mountains saw you and twisted in pain. Downpours of water passed over them; the deep sea raised a shout. It lifted up its waves.
11 The sun and moon stopped moving in the sky while your [lightning] flashed [past like] a swift arrow, and your glittering spear flashed.
The sun and moon stood still in their high places at the flash of your arrows as they fly, at the lightning of your flashing spear.
12 Being very angry [DOU], you walked across the earth and trampled the [armies of many] nations.
You have marched over the earth with indignation. In wrath you have threshed the nations.
13 But you [also] went to rescue us, your people, and to save the [king] (Or, [people]) whom you had chosen [MTY]. You struck down the leader [MTY] of those wicked people and stripped off his clothes, from his head to his feet.
You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed one. You shatter the head of the house of the wicked to lay bare from the base up to the neck. (Selah)
14 With his own spear you destroyed the leader of those soldiers who rushed like [SIM] a whirlwind to [attack and] scatter us, thinking that they could conquer us [Israelis] easily.
You have pierced the head of his warriors with his own arrows since they came like a storm to scatter us, their gloating was like one who devours the poor in a hiding place.
15 You walked through the sea with your horses [to destroy our enemies], and caused the waves to surge.
You have traveled over the sea with your horses, and heaped up the great waters.
16 When I saw that vision, my heart pounded and my lips quivered [because I became afraid]. My legs became weak and I shook, [because I was terrified]. But I will wait quietly for the people [of Babylonia], those who invaded our country, to experience disasters!
I heard, and my inner parts trembled! My lips quivered at the sound. Decay comes into my bones, and under myself I tremble as I wait quietly for the day of distress to come upon the people who invade us.
17 [Therefore, ] even if there are no blossoms on the fig trees, and there are no grapes on the grapevines, and even if there are no olives growing on the olive trees, and there are no crops in the fields, and even if the flocks [of sheep and goats] die in the fields, and there are no cattle in the stalls/barns,
Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no produce from the vines; and though the produce of the olive tree disappoints and the fields yield no food; and though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, this is what I will do.
18 I will rejoice because [I know] Yahweh. I will be joyful because Yahweh my God is the one who saves me!
Still, I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful because of the God of my salvation.
19 Yahweh the Lord is the one who causes me to be strong; he enables me to climb [(safely/without falling)] in the [rocky] mountains, like [SIM] a deer does. (This message is for the choir director: [When this prayer is sung, it is to be accompanied by people playing] stringed instruments.)
The Lord Yahweh is my strength and he makes my feet like the deer's. He makes me go forward on my high places. —To the music director, on my stringed instruments.
