Habakkuk 3
1 The prayer of Habakkuk the prophet:
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to the Shigionoth.
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.
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, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. (Selah) His glory covered the heavens, and 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 splendor fills the earth.
4 With brightness like the light, two-pronged rays flash from his hand; and there he hid his power.
Before him it is like the light, rays he has at his side, where his power is hidden.
5 Deadly disease went before him, and the plague followed him.
Before him pestilence stalks, after him plague follows.
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.
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 in affliction, and the fabric of the tents in the land of Midian trembling.
The tents of Cushan are afraid, the curtains of Midian tremble.
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?
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 have brought out your bow without a cover; you put arrows to your bow! (Selah) You divided the earth with rivers.
Why you bare your bow? Why you fill your quiver with shafts? You split the earth with torrents.
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 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 their high places at the flash of your arrows as they fly, at the lightning 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 You have marched over the earth with indignation. In wrath you have threshed the nations.
In rage you stride over the earth. In wrath you trample 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 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 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 pierced his head with his spears, as his champions storm out to scatter us, as they rejoice to devour the poor secretly.
15 You have traveled over the sea with your horses, and heaped up the great waters.
You tread the sea with your horses, while the mighty waters roar.
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 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 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.
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 rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful because of the God of my salvation.
yet I will exult in the Lord, and rejoice in the God who saves me.
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; 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.
