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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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Habakkuk 3
3
A Prayer of Habakkuk
1This is a prayer of the prophet Habakkuk:#3.1 Hebrew has an additional phrase, the meaning of which is unclear.
2O LORD, I have heard of what you have done,
and I am filled with awe.
Now do again in our times
the great deeds you used to do.
Be merciful, even when you are angry.
3God is coming again from Edom;
the holy God is coming from the hills of Paran.
His splendour covers the heavens;
and the earth is full of his praise.
4He comes with the brightness of lightning;
light flashes from his hand,
there where his power is hidden.
5He sends disease before him
and commands death to follow him.
6When he stops, the earth shakes;
at his glance the nations tremble.
The eternal mountains are shattered;
the everlasting hills sink down,
the hills where he walked in ancient times.
7I saw the people of Cushan afraid
and the people of Midian tremble.
8Was it the rivers that made you angry, LORD?
Was it the sea that made you furious?
You rode upon the clouds;
the storm cloud was your chariot,
as you brought victory to your people.
9You got ready to use your bow,
ready to shoot your arrows.#3.9 Probable text ready to shoot your arrows; Hebrew unclear.
Your lightning split open the earth.
10When the mountains saw you, they trembled;
water poured down from the skies.
The waters under the earth roared,
and their waves rose high.
11At the flash of your speeding arrows
and the gleam of your shining spear,
the sun and the moon stood still.
12You marched across the earth in anger;
in fury you trampled the nations.
13You went out to save your people,
to save your chosen king.
You struck down the leader of the wicked
and completely destroyed his followers.#3.13 Probable text completely… followers; Hebrew unclear.
14Your arrows pierced the commander of his army
when it came like a storm to scatter us,
gloating like those who secretly oppress the poor.#3.14 Verse 14 in Hebrew is unclear.
15You trampled the sea with your horses,
and the mighty waters foamed.
16I hear all this, and I tremble;
my lips quiver with fear.
My body goes limp,
and my feet stumble#3.16 Probable text my feet stumble; Hebrew I am excited, because. beneath me.
I will quietly wait for the time to come
when God will punish those who attack us.
17Even though the fig trees have no fruit
and no grapes grow on the vines,
even though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no corn,
even though the sheep all die
and the cattle stalls are empty,
18I will still be joyful and glad,
because the LORD God is my saviour.
19 #
2 Sam 22.34; Ps 18.33 The Sovereign LORD gives me strength.
He makes me sure-footed as a deer,
and keeps me safe on the mountains.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.