Habakkuk 3

¹A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet on Behalf of Those Who Are Ignorant.

²Lord, I heard what has been said about you, and I was afraid. Lord, your work, in the midst of years, revive it. In the midst of years, you will make it known. When you have become angry, you will remember mercy.

³God will come from the south, and the Holy One from mount Pharan. His glory has covered the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise.

⁴His brightness shall be like the light; horns are in his hands. There, his strength has been hidden.

⁵Death will go forth before his face. And the devil shall depart before his feet.

⁶He stood, and measured the earth. He looked, and dissolved the Gentiles. And the mountains of ages past have been shattered. The hills of the world became curved by the journeys of his eternity.

⁷I saw the tents of Ethiopia for their iniquity; the tent-skins of the land of Midian will be thrown into confusion.

⁸Could you have been angry with the rivers, Lord? Or was your fury within the rivers, or your indignation in the sea? He will ascend upon your horses, and your four-horse chariots are salvation.

⁹Being stirred up, you will take up your bow, the oaths you have spoken to the tribes. You will split apart the Rivers of the earth.

¹⁰They saw you, and the mountains grieved. The great body of waters crossed over. The abyss uttered its voice. The pinnacle lifted up its hands.

¹¹The sun and the moon have stood firm in their dwelling place; with the light of your arrows, they shall go forth in the splendor of your flashing spear.

¹²With a roar, you will trample the earth. In your fury, you will cause the nations to be stupefied.

¹³You have gone forth for the salvation of your people, for salvation with your Christ. You struck the head of the house of the impious. You have laid bare his foundation all the way to the neck.

¹⁴You have cursed his scepters, the head of his warriors, those who approached like a whirlwind so as to scatter me. Their exultation was like one who devours the poor in secret.

¹⁵You made a way in the sea for your horses, in the mud of great waters.

¹⁶I heard, and my stomach became troubled. My lips trembled at the voice. Let decay enter into my bones and gush forth from within me. Then I may rest in the day of tribulation, so that I may ascend to our people well-prepared.

¹⁷For the fig tree will not flower, and there will be no bud on the vines. The labor of the olive tree will be misleading, and the farmland will produce no food. The sheep will be cut off from the sheepfold, and there will be no herd at the manger.

¹⁸But I will rejoice in the Lord; and I will exult in God my Jesus.

¹⁹The Lord God is my strength. And he will set my feet like those of the stag. And he, the victor, will lead me beyond my high places while singing psalms.

Habakkuk 3

¹A PRAYER OF Habakkuk THE PROPHET FOR IGNORANCES.

²O Lord, I have heard thy hearing, and was afraid. O Lord, thy work, in the midst of the years bring it to life: In the midst of the years thou shalt make it known: when thou art angry, thou wilt remember mercy.

³God will come from the south, and the holy one from mount Pharan: His glory covered the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise.

⁴His brightness shall be as the light: horns are in his hands: There is his strength hid:

⁵Death shall go before his face. And the devil shall go forth before his feet.

⁶He stood and measured the earth. He beheld, and melted the nations: and the ancient mountains were crushed to pieces. The hills of the world were bowed down by the journeys of his eternity.

⁷I saw the tents of Ethiopia for their iniquity, the curtains of the land of Madian shall be troubled.

⁸Wast thou angry, O Lord, with the rivers? or was thy wrath upon the rivers? or thy indignation in the sea? Who will ride upon thy horses: and thy chariots are salvation.

⁹Thou wilt surely take up thy bow: according to the oaths which thou hast spoken to the tribes. Thou wilt divide the rivers of the earth.

¹⁰The mountains saw thee, and were grieved: the great body of waters passed away. The deep put forth its voice: the deep lifted up its hands.

¹¹The sun and the moon stood still in their habitation, in the light of thy arrows, they shall go in the brightness of thy glittering spear.

¹²In thy anger thou wilt tread the earth under foot: in thy wrath thou wilt astonish the nations.

¹³Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people: for salvation with thy Christ. Thou struckest the head of the house of the wicked: thou hast laid bare his foundation even to the neck.

¹⁴Thou hast cursed his sceptres, the head of his warriors, them that came out as a whirlwind to scatter me. Their joy was like that of him that devoureth the poor man in secret.

¹⁵Thou madest a way in the sea for thy horses, in the mud of many waters.

¹⁶I have heard and my bowels were troubled: my lips trembled at the voice. Let rottenness enter into my bones, and swarm under me. That I may rest in the day of tribulation: that I may go up to our people that are girded.

¹⁷For the fig tree shall not blossom: and there shall be no spring in the vines. The labour of the olive tree shall fail: and the fields shall yield no food: the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls.

¹⁸But I will rejoice in the Lord: and I will joy in God my Jesus.

¹⁹The Lord God is my strength: and he will make my feet like the feet of harts: and he the conqueror will lead me upon my high places singing psalms.