1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.3.1 upon…: or, according to variable songs, or, tunes, called in Hebrew, Shigionoth 2O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.3.2 speech: Heb. report, or, hearing3.2 revive: or, preserve alive
3God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.3.3 Teman: or, the south 4And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.3.4 horns…: or, bright beams out of his side 5Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.3.5 coals: or, diseases 6He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting. 7I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.3.7 Cushan: or, Ethiopia3.7 in…: or, under affliction, or, vanity 8Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?3.8 of…: or, were salvation? 9Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.3.9 earth…: or, rivers of the earth 10The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high. 11The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.3.11 at the light…: or, thine arrows walked in the light 12Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. 13Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.3.13 by…: Heb. making naked 14Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.3.14 came…: Heb. were tempestuous 15Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.3.15 heap: or, mud
16When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.3.16 invade…: or, cut them in pieces
17¶ Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:3.17 fail: Heb. lie 18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.3.19 chief…: or, overseer3.19 stringed…: Heb. Neginoth
Habakkuk Prays to the Lord
1This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. It is on shigionoth. Here is what he said.
2Lord, I know how famous you are.
I have great respect for you
because of your mighty acts.
Do them again for us.
Make them known in our time.
When you are angry,
please have mercy on us.
3God came from Teman.
The Holy One came from Mount Paran.
His glory covered the heavens.
His praise filled the earth.
4His glory was like the sunrise.
Rays of light flashed from his mighty hand.
His power was hidden there.
5He sent plagues ahead of him.
Sickness followed behind him.
6When he stood up, the earth shook.
When he looked at the nations,
they trembled with fear.
The age-old mountains crumbled.
The ancient hills fell down.
But he marches on forever.
7I saw the tents of Cushan in trouble.
The people of Midian were suffering greatly.
8Lord, were you angry with the rivers?
Were you angry with the streams?
Were you angry with the Red Sea?
You rode your horses and chariots
to overcome it.
9You got your bow ready to use.
You asked for many arrows.
You broke up the surface
of the earth with rivers.
10The mountains saw you and shook.
Floods of water swept by.
The sea roared.
It lifted its waves high.
11The sun and moon stood still in the sky.
They stopped because your flying arrows flashed by.
Your gleaming spear shone like lightning.
12When you were angry, you marched across the earth.
Because of your anger you destroyed the nations.
13You came out to set your people free.
You saved your chosen ones.
You crushed Pharaoh, the leader of that evil land of Egypt.
You stripped him from head to foot.
14His soldiers rushed out to scatter us.
They were laughing at us.
They thought they would easily destroy us.
They saw us as weak people who were trying to hide.
So you wounded Pharaoh’s head with his own spear.
15Your horses charged into the Red Sea.
They stirred up the great waters.
16I listened and my heart pounded.
My lips trembled at the sound.
My bones seemed to rot.
And my legs shook.
But I will be patient.
I’ll wait for the day of trouble to come on Babylon.
It’s the nation that is attacking us.
17The fig trees might not bud.
The vines might not produce any grapes.
The olive crop might fail.
The fields might not produce any food.
There might not be any sheep in the pens.
There might not be any cattle in the barns.
18But I will still be glad
because of what the Lord has done.
God my Savior fills me with joy.
19The Lord and King gives me strength.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer.
He helps me walk on the highest places.
