Habakkuk’s Prayer

1A Prayer by Habakkuk the prophet upon songs.

2O Jehovah, I heard thy report, I was afraid: O Jehovah, preserve alive thy work in the midst of years, in the midst of years make known; in anger thou wilt remember mercy.

3God will come from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran Silence. His majesty covered the heavens, and his praise filled the earth.

4And the brightness will be as the light; horns to him from his hand; and he set the hiding of his strength.

5Before his face shall go the word, and a flame will go forth at his feet.

6He stood, and he will measure the earth: he saw, and he will cause the nations to tremble, and the mountains of eternity will be dispersed, the perpetual hills bowed down: the goings everlasting to him.

7I saw the tents of Cushan under vanity: the curtains of the land of strife shall be moved.

8Was Jehovah angry against the rivers? if thine anger against the rivers? if thy wrath against the sea? if thou wilt ride upon thy horses, thy chariots of salvation?

9In nakedness thou shalt raise thy bow, the oaths of the tribes, he said. Silence. Thou wilt divide the earth with rivers.

10They saw thee, the mountains shall tremble: the pouring of the waters passed by: the deep gave his voice, he lifted up his hands on high.

11The sun, the moon stood in her habitation: at the light of thine arrows they will go, at the shining of the lightning of thy spear.

12In wrath thou wilt march through the land in anger, thou wilt thresh the nations.

13Thou wentest forth to save thy people, to save thy Messiah; thou didst crush the head from the house of the unjust, making naked the foundation, even to the neck. Silence.

14Thou didst pierce with rods the head of the leader: they will rush on as a tempest to scatter me their exultation as to devour the poor in secret.

15Thou didst tread upon the sea with thy horses, the heap of many waters.

16I heard and my belly will tremble; at the voice my lips quivered: rottenness will come into my bones, and I shall tremble under me that I shall rest at the day of straits: to come up to the people he will invade him.

Habakkuk Rejoices

17If the fig tree shall not blossom, and no produce in the vines; the work of the olive failed, and the fields made not food; and the sheep being cut off from the fold, and no oxen in the stalls.

18I will exult in Jehovah, I will rejoice in the God saving me.

19Jehovah the Lord my strength, and he will set my feet as the hinds, and upon my heights he will cause me to tread. For the overseer upon my stringed instruments.