Habakkuk 3

Modern

Literal

Habakkuk’s Prayer

¹This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth:^a

¹A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.

²O LORD, I have heard the report of You;

I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds.

Revive them in these years;

make them known in these years.

In Your wrath, remember mercy!

²O YHWH, I have heard the report of You; and I was afraid, O YHWH, of Your work. In the midst of the years may You revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath, may You remember to have compassion.

³God came from Teman,

and the Holy One from Mount Paran.

Selah^a

His glory covered the heavens,

and His praise filled the earth.

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.

⁴His radiance was like the sunlight;

rays flashed from His hand,

where His power is hidden.

⁴And His brightness was like the light; rays were unto Him from His hand, and there was the hiding of his power.

⁵Plague went before Him,

and fever followed in His steps.

⁵Before His face went pestilence, and plague came forth at His feet.

⁶He stood and measured the earth;

He looked and startled the nations;

the ancient mountains crumbled;

the perpetual hills collapsed.

His ways are everlasting.

⁶He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains were scattered, and the hills of old bowed; the ways of old are unto Him!

⁷I saw the tents of Cushan in distress;

the curtains of Midian were trembling.

⁷Under affliction I have seen the tents of Cushan; the curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

⁸Were You angry at the rivers, O LORD?

Was Your wrath against the streams?

Did You rage against the sea

when You rode on Your horses,

on Your chariots of salvation?

⁸Against the rivers did it burn, O YHWH—Your anger against the rivers? Or was Your wrath against the sea, when You rode on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation?

⁹You brandished Your bow;

You called for many arrows.

Selah

You split the earth with rivers.

⁹Your bow was uncovered with nakedness speech was sworn for arrows. Selah With rivers You split the earth;

¹⁰The mountains saw You and quaked;

torrents of water swept by.

The deep roared with its voice

and lifted its hands on high.

¹⁰the mountains saw You and trembled. A storm of waters passed by; the deep gave forth its voice, and on high its hand lifted.

¹¹Sun and moon stood still

in their places

at the flash of Your flying arrows,

at the brightness of Your shining spear.

¹¹The sun and moon stood still in its high place; at the light of Your arrows they went forth, at the brightness of the flashing of Your spear.

¹²You marched across the earth with fury;

You threshed the nations in wrath.

¹²In wrath You marched through the land, in anger You trampled the nations.

¹³You went forth for the salvation of Your people,

to save Your anointed.

You crushed the head of the house of the wicked

and stripped him from head to toe.

Selah

¹³You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your anointed; You struck the head of the house of the wicked, uncovering him from base to neck. Selah

¹⁴With his own spear You pierced his head,

when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,

gloating as though ready

to secretly devour the weak.

¹⁴You pierced the head of his warriors with his staves; they stormed out to scatter me, in their rejoicing as one who devours the afflicted in his hiding place.

¹⁵You trampled the sea with Your horses,

churning the great waters.

¹⁵You tread on the sea with Your horses, a surge of great waters.

¹⁶I heard and trembled within;

my lips quivered at the sound.

Decay entered my bones;

I trembled where I stood.

Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress

to come upon the people who invade us.

¹⁶I heard it, and my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the sound; decay came into my bones, and from under me I trembled, that I might rest in the day of distress, to come upon the people who invade us.

Habakkuk Rejoices

¹⁷Though the fig tree does not bud

and no fruit is on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though the sheep are cut off from the fold

and no cattle are in the stalls,

¹⁷Though the fig tree may not bud, and there be no fruit on the vines; though the work of the olive may fail, and the fields not produce food, though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there herd is in the stalls,

¹⁸yet I will exult in the LORD;

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!

¹⁸yet I will exult in YHWH; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

¹⁹GOD the Lord is my strength;

He makes my feet like those of a deer;

He makes me walk upon the heights! For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments.

¹⁹YHWH the Lord is my strength, and He will make my feet like a deer’s, and on my high places He makes me tread. To the one directing: With stringed instruments.