Habakkuk 3
3
Habakkuk’s Third Prayer
1A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk. According to Shigionoth.#3:1 Perhaps a passionate song with rapid changes of rhythm, or a dirge#Ps 7
2 Lord, I have heard the report about you;
Lord, I stand in awe of your deeds.#Ps 44:1; 64:9; 77:12; 90:16; 92:4; 111:3; 143:5
Revive your work in these years;
make it known in these years.
In your wrath remember mercy!#Is 60:10
3God comes from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.#Dt 33:2; Jdg 5:4–5Selah
His splendor covers the heavens,
and the earth is full of his praise.#1Ch 29:11; Jb 37:22; Ps 48:10; 72:19; 148:13; Is 42:10
4His brilliance is like light;
rays are flashing from his hand.
This is where his power is hidden.
5Plague goes before him,
and pestilence follows in his steps.
6He stands and shakes#3:6 Or surveys the earth;#Jb 9:6; Is 13:13; 24:19; Jl 2:10; 3:16; Hg 2:6,21; Heb 12:26
he looks and startles the nations.
The age-old mountains break apart;
the ancient hills sink down.#Mc 1:4; Zch 14:4
His pathways are ancient.#Jr 6:16; 18:15
7I see the tents of Cushan#3:7 = Midian in distress;
the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.
8Are you angry at the rivers, Lord?
Is your wrath against the rivers?
Or is your fury against the sea
when you ride on your horses,
your victorious chariot?#Ps 68:17
9You took the sheath from your bow;
the arrows are ready#3:9 Or set to be used with an oath.#3:9 Hb obscure#Dt 32:40–43Selah
You split the earth with rivers.
10The mountains see you and shudder;#Ps 77:16
a downpour of water sweeps by.
The deep roars with its voice#Ex 19:18; Ps 77:16
and lifts its waves#3:10 Lit hands high.
11Sun and moon stand still in their lofty residence,#Jos 10:12–13
at the flash of your flying arrows,
at the brightness of your shining spear.
12You march across the earth with indignation;
you trample down the nations in wrath.#Ps 60:12; 68:30; 108:13; Is 25:10; 63:3; Mc 1:3
13You come out to save your people,#Dt 33:29; Jdg 2:18; Ps 28:9; Jr 15:20; Ezk 37:23; Zch 8:7; 9:16; Mt 1:21
to save your anointed.#3:13 The Davidic king or the nation of Israel
You crush the leader of the house of the wicked
and strip him from foot#3:13 Lit foundation to neck.Selah
14You pierce his head
with his own spears;
his warriors storm out to scatter us,
gloating as if ready to secretly devour the weak.
15You tread the sea with your horses,
stirring up the vast water.#Ps 77:19
Habakkuk’s Confidence in God Expressed
16I heard, and I trembled within;#Dn 10:4–9; Rv 1:17
my lips quivered at the sound.
Rottenness entered my bones;
I trembled where I stood.
Now I must quietly wait for the day of distress#Is 37:3; Ob 12,14; Nah 1:7
to come against the people invading us.
17Though the fig tree does not bud
and there is no fruit on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though the flocks disappear from the pen
and there are no herds in the stalls,
18yet I will celebrate in the Lord;
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!#1Sm 2:1; 1Ch 16:35; Ps 9:14; 40:16; 73:25; Is 25:9; 61:10
19The Lord my Lord is my strength;#1Sm 30:6; 1Ch 16:11; Ps 18:1; 22:19; 28:7–8; 29:11; 105:4; 118:14; Is 12:2; 33:2; 45:24; 49:5; 51:9; Jr 16:19; Eph 6:10
he makes my feet like those of a deer#Ps 18:33
and enables me to walk on mountain heights!#2Sm 22:34; Ps 18:33
For the choir director: on#3:19 Lit on my stringed instruments.
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Habakkuk 3: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Habakkuk 3
3
1 A PRAYER of Habakkuk the prophet, set to wild, enthusiastic, and triumphal music.
2 O Lord, I have heard the report of You and was afraid. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make [Yourself] known! In wrath [earnestly] remember love, pity, and mercy.
3 God [approaching from Sinai] came from Teman [which represents Edom] and the Holy One from Mount Paran [in the Sinai region]. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! His glory covered the heavens and the earth was full of His praise.
4 And His brightness was like the sunlight; rays streamed from His hand, and there [in the sunlike splendor] was the hiding place of His power.
5 Before Him went the pestilence [as in Egypt], and burning plague followed His feet [as in Sennacherib's army]. [Exod. 7:2-4; II Kings 19:32-35.]
6 He stood and measured the earth; He looked and shook the nations, and the eternal mountains were scattered and the perpetual hills bowed low. His ways are everlasting and His goings are of old.
7 I [Habakkuk, in vision] saw the tents of Cushan [probably Ethiopia] in affliction; the [tent] curtains of the land of Midian trembled.
8 Were You displeased with the rivers, O Lord? Or was Your anger against the rivers [You divided]? Was Your wrath against the [Red] Sea, that You rode [before] upon Your horses and Your chariots of victory and deliverance?
9 Your bow was made quite bare; sworn to the tribes [of Israel] by Your sure word were the rods of chastisement, scourges, and calamities. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! With rivers You cleaved the earth [bringing forth waters in dry places]. [Exod. 17:6; Num. 20:11.]
10 The mountains saw You; they trembled and writhed [as if in pain]. The overflowing of the water passed by [as at the deluge]; the deep uttered its voice and lifted its hands on high.
11 The sun and moon stood back [as before Joshua] in their habitation at the light of Your arrows as they sped, at the flash of Your glittering spear. [Josh. 10:12, 13.]
12 You marched through the land in indignation; You trampled and threshed the nations in anger.
13 You went forth and have come for the salvation of Your people, for the deliverance and victory of Your anointed [people Israel]; You smote the head of the house of the wicked, laying bare the foundation even to the neck. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
14 You pierced with his own arrows the head of [the enemy's] hordes; they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me [the people], rejoicing as if to devour the poor [Israel] secretly.
15 You have trodden the sea with Your horses, [beside] the heap of great and surging waters. [Exod. 15:8.]
16 I heard and my [whole inner self] trembled; my lips quivered at the sound. Rottenness enters into my bones and under me [down to my feet]; I tremble. I will wait quietly for the day of trouble and distress when there shall come up against [my] people him who is about to invade and oppress them.
17 Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! [Rom. 8:37.]
19 The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! For the Chief Musician; with my stringed instruments.
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