< Habakkuk 3 >
1 The prayer of Habakkuk the prophet:
A PRAYER OF THE PROPHET AMBACUM, WITH A SONG.
2 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.
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.
3 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.
God shall come from Thaeman, and the Holy One from the dark shady mount Pharan. (Pause)
4 With brightness like the light, two-pronged rays flash from his hand; and there he hid his power.
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.
5 Deadly disease went before him, and the plague followed him.
Before his face shall go a report, and it shall go forth into the plains,
6 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.
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.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction, and the fabric of the tents in the land of Midian trembling.
Because of troubles I looked upon the tents of the Ethiopians: the tabernacles also of the land of Madiam shall be dismayed.
8 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?
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.
9 You have brought out your bow without a cover; you put arrows to your bow! (Selah) You divided the earth with rivers.
Surely you did bend they bow at scepters, says the Lord. (Pause) The land of rivers shall be torn asunder.
10 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.
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.
11 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.
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.
12 You have marched over the earth with indignation. In wrath you have threshed the nations.
You will bring low the land with threatening, and in wrath you will break down the nations.
13 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)
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)
14 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.
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.
15 You have traveled over the sea with your horses, and heaped up the great waters.
And you do cause your horses to enter the sea, disturbing much water.
16 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.
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.
17 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.
For [though] the fig tree shall bear no fruit, and there shall be no produce on the vines; the labor 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;
18 Still, I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful because of the God of my salvation.
yet I will exult in the Lord, I will joy in God my Saviour.
19 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.
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.