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 Paran3.3 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 Midian3.7 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.3.19: 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.