Habakkuk 3
3
Habakkuk’s Prayer
1The prayer of Habakkuk the prophet.#3:1 The Hebrew text adds “according to shigyonoth,” which may be an instruction for a special style of music.
2Lord, I have heard the news about you.
I am amazed, Lord, at the powerful things you did in the past.
Now I pray that you will do great things in our time.
Please make these things happen in our own days.
But in your anger,
remember to show mercy to us. Selah
3God is coming from Teman.
The Holy One is coming from Mount Paran. Selah
His glory covers the heavens,
and his praise fills the earth!
4Rays of light shine from his hand, a bright, shining light.
There is such power hiding in that hand.
5The sickness went before him,
and the destroyer followed behind him.#3:5 This probably refers to the diseases and the angel of death that God sent against the Egyptians when God freed Israel from slavery.
6He stood and judged the earth.
He looked at the people of all the nations,
and they shook with fear.
For many years the mountains stood strong,
but those mountains fell to pieces.
Those old, old hills fell down.
God has always been able to do that.
7I saw that the cities of Cushan were in trouble
and that the houses of Midian trembled with fear.
8Lord, were you angry at the rivers?
Were you angry at the streams?
Were you angry at the sea?
Were you angry when you rode your horses and chariots to victory?
9Even then you showed your rainbow.
It was proof of your agreement with the families of the earth.#3:9 rainbow … earth See Gen. 9. Selah
And the dry land split the rivers.
10The mountains saw you and shook.
The water flowed off the land.
The water from the sea made a loud noise
as it lost its power over the land.
11The sun and the moon lost their brightness.
They stopped shining when they saw your bright flashes of lightning.
That lightning was like spears and arrows shooting through the air.
12In anger you walked on the earth
and punished the nations.
13You came to save your people
and to lead your chosen king#3:13 chosen king Literally, “anointed one.” to victory.
You killed the leader in every evil family,
from the least important person
to the most important in the land.#3:13 You killed … in the land Literally, “You struck the head from the wicked house. From the foundation to the neck they were laid bare.” Selah
14You used Moses’ walking stick
to stop the enemy soldiers.
Those soldiers came
like a powerful storm to fight against us.
They thought they could defeat us easily,
as robbing the poor in secret.
15But you marched your horses
through the deep water, stirring up the mud.
16My whole body shook when I heard the story.
My lips trembled.
I felt weak deep down in my bones
and stood there shaking.
But I will wait patiently for destruction to come to those who attack us.
Always Rejoice in the Lord
17Figs might not grow on the fig trees,
and grapes might not grow on the vines.
Olives might not grow on the olive trees,
and food might not grow in the fields.
There might not be any sheep in the pens
or cattle in the barns.
18But I will still be glad in the Lord
and rejoice in God my Savior.
19The Lord GOD gives me my strength.
He helps me run fast like a deer.
He leads me safely on the mountains.
To the music director. On my stringed instruments.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Habakkuk 3
3
1This is a prayer sung by the prophet Habakkuk. On Shigonoth.#3:1. “On Shigionoth”: the meaning is unknown. It may be a musical instrument.
2I have heard what is said about you, Lord. I stand in awe of your work. Lord, revive it in our times; make it known in our times. In your anger, please remember your mercy.
3God came from Teman; the Holy One from Mount Paran.#3:3. Teman is in the land of Edom, while Mount Paran is in the Sinai Peninsula. Selah.#3:3. “Selah”: an unknown term often also used in Psalms. His glory covered the heavens; the earth was full of his praise.
4His brightness is like lightning; rays flash from his hand from where his power is hidden.
5Plague goes before him, disease#3:5. Or “bolts of fire.” follows at his feet.
6Where he stands, the earth shakes. When he looks the nations tremble. The ancient mountains shatter, the age-old hills collapse, but his ways are eternal.
7I saw the tents of Cushan suffering, the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.#3:7. By this Habakkuk probably means the people that lived in these tents.
8Did you burn with rage against the rivers, Lord? Were you angry with the rivers? Were you furious with the sea when you rode your horses and chariots of salvation?
9You took out your bow; you filled your quiver with arrows. Selah. You split the earth open with rivers.
10Mountains saw you and shook. Water poured down and swept by. The deep called out, lifting high its waves.#3:10. Literally, “hands.”
11The sun and moon stood still in the sky as your sparkling arrows flew and your spears flashed bright.
12Indignant, you marched across the earth, trampling the nations in your anger.
13You came out to save your people, to save your chosen people. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, stripping him from thick to neck.#3:13. This verse has been interpreted in many ways.
14With his own arrows you pierced the heads of his warriors, those who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating like those who secretly abuse the poor.
15You trod upon the sea with your horses, churning up the mighty waters.
16I shook inside when I heard this; my lips quivered at the sound; my bones turned to jelly; I trembled where I stood. I wait quietly for the day of trouble that will come upon those who attacked us.
17Even though there are no blossoms on the fig trees and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no harvest; even though there are no animals in the pen and no cattle in the stalls;
18still I will be happy in the Lord, joyful in the God of my salvation.
19The Lord God is my strength. He makes me able to walk in the highest mountains, as sure-footed as a deer.
(To the music director: with my stringed instruments.)
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com