Habakkuk’s Prayer

3 This is the prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on shigionoth.

2  Lord, I have heard the news about you;

I am amazed at what you have done.

Lord, do great things once again in our time;

make those things happen again in our own days.

Even when you are angry,

remember to be kind.

3  God is coming from Teman;

the Holy One comes from Mount Paran. n

Selah

His glory covers the skies,

and his praise fills the earth.

4  He is like a bright light.

Rays of light shine from his hand,

and there he hides his power.

5  Sickness goes before him,

and disease follows behind him.

6  He stands and shakes the earth.

He looks, and the nations shake with fear.

The mountains, which stood for ages, break into pieces;

the old hills fall down.

God has always done this.

7  I saw that the tents of Cushan were in trouble

and that the tents of Midian trembled.

8  Lord, were you angry at the rivers,

or were you angry at the streams?

Were you angry with the sea

when you rode your horses and chariots of victory? n

9  You uncovered your bow

and commanded many arrows to be brought to you.

Selah

You split the earth with rivers.

10  The mountains saw you and shook with fear.

The rushing water flowed.

The sea made a loud noise,

and its waves rose high.

11  The sun and moon stood still in the sky;

they stopped when they saw the flash of your flying arrows

and the gleam of your shining spear.

12  In anger you marched on the earth;

in anger you punished the nations.

13  You came out to save your people,

to save your chosen one.

You crushed the leader of the wicked ones

and took everything he had, from head to toe.

Selah

14  With the enemy’s own spear you stabbed the leader of his army.

His soldiers rushed out like a storm to scatter us.

They were happy

as they were robbing the poor people in secret.

15  But you marched through the sea with your horses,

stirring the great waters.

16  I hear these things, and my body trembles;

my lips tremble when I hear the sound.

My bones feel weak,

and my legs shake.

But I will wait patiently for the day of disaster

that will come to the people who attack us.

17  Fig trees may not grow figs,

and there may be no grapes on the vines.

There may be no olives growing

and no food growing in the fields.

There may be no sheep in the pens

and no cattle in the barns.

18  But I will still be glad in the Lord;

I will rejoice in God my Savior.

19  The Lord God is my strength.

He makes me like a deer that does not stumble

so I can walk on the steep mountains.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.