Habakkuk 3
3
God Racing on the Crest of the Waves
1-2A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk, with orchestra:
God, I’ve heard what our ancestors say about you,
and I’m stopped in my tracks, down on my knees.
Do among us what you did among them.
Work among us as you worked among them.
And as you bring judgment, as you surely must,
remember mercy.
* * *
3-7God’s on his way again,
retracing the old salvation route,
Coming up from the south through Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.
Skies are blazing with his splendor,
his praises sounding through the earth,
His cloud-brightness like dawn, exploding, spreading,
forked-lightning shooting from his hand—
what power hidden in that fist!
Plague marches before him,
pestilence at his heels!
He stops. He shakes Earth.
He looks around. Nations tremble.
The age-old mountains fall to pieces;
ancient hills collapse like a spent balloon.
The paths God takes are older
than the oldest mountains and hills.
I saw everyone worried, in a panic:
Old wilderness adversaries,
Cushan and Midian, were terrified,
hoping he wouldn’t notice them.
* * *
8-16 God, is it River you’re mad at?
Angry at old River?
Were you raging at Sea when you rode
horse and chariot through to salvation?
You unfurled your bow
and let loose a volley of arrows.
You split Earth with rivers.
Mountains saw what was coming.
They twisted in pain.
Flood Waters poured in.
Ocean roared and reared huge waves.
Sun and Moon stopped in their tracks.
Your flashing arrows stopped them,
your lightning-strike spears impaled them.
Angry, you stomped through Earth.
Furious, you crushed the godless nations.
You were out to save your people,
to save your specially chosen people.
You beat the stuffing
out of King Wicked,
Stripped him naked
from head to toe,
Set his severed head on his own spear
and blew away his army.
Scattered they were to the four winds—
and ended up food for the sharks!
You galloped through the Sea on your horses,
racing on the crest of the waves.
When I heard it, my stomach did flips.
I stammered and stuttered.
My bones turned to water.
I staggered and stumbled.
I sit back and wait for Doomsday
to descend on our attackers.
* * *
17-19Though the cherry trees don’t blossom
and the strawberries don’t ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten
and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
and the cattle barns empty,
I’m singing joyful praise to God.
I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God’s Rule to prevail,
I take heart and gain strength.
I run like a deer.
I feel like I’m king of the mountain!
(For congregational use, with a full orchestra.)
Currently Selected:
Habakkuk 3: MSG
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Habakkuk 3
3
Habakkuk’s Third Prayer
1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. According to Shigionoth. # Perhaps a passionate song with rapid changes of rhythm, or a dirge # Ps 7 title
2Lord, 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 # 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 # = 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 rage 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 # Or set to be used with an oath. # 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 # 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. # The Davidic king or the nation of Israel
You crush the leader of the house of the wicked
and strip him from foot # 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 great waters. # 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 there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18yet I will triumph in Yahweh;
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
19Yahweh 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 # Lit on my stringed instruments.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.