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 with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. 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.
Habakkuk 3
3
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.
Someday 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
is my Savior.
19 #
2 S 22.34; Ps 18.33. The Lord gives me strength.
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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