Habakkuk 3
3
Habakkuk gives praise to the Lord
Habakkuk's prayer
1This is my prayer:#3.1 prayer: The Hebrew text adds “according to the shigionoth”, which may mean a prayer of request or a prayer to be accompanied by a special musical instrument.
2I know your reputation, LORD,
and I am amazed
at what you have done.
Please turn from your anger
and be merciful;
do for us what you did
for our ancestors.
3You are the same Holy God
who came from Teman
and Paran#3.3 Teman…Paran: Teman is a district in Edom, but the name is sometimes used of the whole country of Edom; Paran is the hill country along the western border of the Gulf of Aqaba. In Judges 5.4, the LORD is said to have marched from Edom to help his people; in Deuteronomy 33.2, Paran is mentioned in connection with the LORD's appearance at Sinai. to help us.
The brightness of your glory
covered the heavens,
and your praises were heard
everywhere on earth.
4Your glory shone like the sun,
and light flashed from your hands,
hiding your mighty power.
5Dreadful diseases and plagues
marched in front
and followed behind.
6When you stopped,
the earth shook;
when you stared,
nations trembled;
when you walked
along your ancient paths,
eternal mountains and hills
crumbled and collapsed.
7The tents of desert tribes
in Cushan and Midian#3.7 Cushan and Midian: Tribes of the Arabian desert who were enemies of Israel.
were ripped apart.
8Our LORD, were you angry
with the monsters
of the deep?#3.8 monsters of the deep: The Hebrew text has “rivers and oceans”, which may stand for the powerful monsters that were thought to have lived there before the LORD defeated them.
You attacked in your chariot
and wiped them out.
9Your arrows were ready
and obeyed your commands.#3.9 obeyed your commands: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
You split the earth apart
with rivers and streams;
10mountains trembled
at the sight of you;
rain poured from the clouds;
ocean waves roared and rose.
11The sun and moon stood still,
while your arrows and spears
flashed like lightning.
12In your furious anger,
you trampled on nations
13to rescue your people
and save your chosen one.#3.13 chosen one: Or “chosen ones”.
You crushed a nation's ruler
and stripped his evil kingdom
of its power.#3.13 You crushed…power: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
14His troops had come like a storm,
hoping to scatter us
and glad to gobble us up.
To them we were refugees
in hiding—
but you smashed their heads
with their own weapons.#3.14 but you…weapons: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
15Then your chariots churned
the waters of the sea.
Habakkuk's response to God's message
16When I heard this message,#3.16 heard this message: Or “saw this vision”.
I felt weak from fear,
and my lips quivered.
My bones seemed to melt,
and I stumbled around.
But I will patiently wait.
Some day those vicious enemies
will be struck by disaster.#3.16 I will…disaster: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Trust in a time of trouble
17Fig trees may no longer bloom,
or vineyards produce grapes;
olive trees may be fruitless,
and harvest time a failure;
sheep pens may be empty,
and cattle stalls vacant—
18but I will still celebrate
because the LORD God
saves me.
19The LORD gives me strength.#2 S 22.34; Ps 18.33.
He makes my feet as sure
as those of a deer,
and he helps me stand
on the mountains.#3.19 stand on the mountains: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
To the music director:
Use stringed instruments.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Habakkuk 3
3
Habakkuk’s Prayer
1This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk#3:1 Hebrew adds according to shigionoth, probably indicating the musical setting for the prayer.:
2I have heard all about you, Lord.
I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need,
help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger,
remember your mercy.
3I see God moving across the deserts from Edom,#3:3a Hebrew Teman.
the Holy One coming from Mount Paran.#3:3b Hebrew adds selah; also in 3:9, 13. The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; it is probably a musical or literary term.
His brilliant splendor fills the heavens,
and the earth is filled with his praise.
4His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise.
Rays of light flash from his hands,
where his awesome power is hidden.
5Pestilence marches before him;
plague follows close behind.
6When he stops, the earth shakes.
When he looks, the nations tremble.
He shatters the everlasting mountains
and levels the eternal hills.
He is the Eternal One!#3:6 Or The ancient paths belong to him.
7I see the people of Cushan in distress,
and the nation of Midian trembling in terror.
8Was it in anger, Lord, that you struck the rivers
and parted the sea?
Were you displeased with them?
No, you were sending your chariots of salvation!
9You brandished your bow
and your quiver of arrows.
You split open the earth with flowing rivers.
10The mountains watched and trembled.
Onward swept the raging waters.
The mighty deep cried out,
lifting its hands in submission.
11The sun and moon stood still in the sky
as your brilliant arrows flew
and your glittering spear flashed.
12You marched across the land in anger
and trampled the nations in your fury.
13You went out to rescue your chosen people,
to save your anointed ones.
You crushed the heads of the wicked
and stripped their bones from head to toe.
14With his own weapons,
you destroyed the chief of those
who rushed out like a whirlwind,
thinking Israel would be easy prey.
15You trampled the sea with your horses,
and the mighty waters piled high.
16I trembled inside when I heard this;
my lips quivered with fear.
My legs gave way beneath me,#3:16 Hebrew Decay entered my bones.
and I shook in terror.
I will wait quietly for the coming day
when disaster will strike the people who invade us.
17Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
18yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
19The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,#3:19 Or He gives me the speed of a deer.
able to tread upon the heights.
(For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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