1 S higionoth tells of this prayer of Habakkuk, the man of God.

A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music.

2 O Lord, I have heard of what You have done, and I am filled with fear. O Lord, do again in our times the great things which You have done before. Remember to show loving-kindness, even when You are angry.

Yahweh, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, Yahweh. Renew your work in the middle of the years. In the middle of the years make it known. In wrath, you remember mercy.

3 G od comes from Teman. The Holy One comes from Mount Paran. His shining-greatness covers the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise.

God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and his praise filled the earth.

4 H e is as bright as the sun. He has light shining from His hand, where His power is hidden.

His splendor is like the sunrise. Rays shine from his hand, where his power is hidden.

5 D isease goes before Him, and much trouble comes after Him.

Plague went before him, and pestilence followed his feet.

6 H e stood and looked over the earth. He looked and shook the nations. The lasting mountains were broken to pieces, and the old hills fell down. His ways last forever.

He stood, and shook the earth. He looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains were crumbled. The age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal.

7 I saw the tents of Cushan in trouble. The tent curtains of the land of Midian were shaking.

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction. The dwellings of the land of Midian trembled.

8 W ere You angry with the rivers, O Lord? Was Your anger against the rivers? Or were You angry with the sea? You rode on Your horses. You rode on Your war-wagons saving people.

Was Yahweh displeased with the rivers? Was your anger against the rivers, or your wrath against the sea, that you rode on your horses, on your chariots of salvation?

9 Y ou took the covering off Your bow and put the arrows to the string. You divided the earth with rivers.

You uncovered your bow. You called for your sworn arrows. Selah. You split the earth with rivers.

10 T he mountains saw You and shook. The flood of waters flowed by. The sea made its noise and its waves rose high.

The mountains saw you, and were afraid. The storm of waters passed by. The deep roared and lifted up its hands on high.

11 T he sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the light of Your arrows, at the shining of Your spear.

The sun and moon stood still in the sky, at the light of your arrows as they went, at the shining of your glittering spear.

12 Y ou walked over the earth in Your anger. In anger You crushed the nations under foot.

You marched through the land in wrath. You threshed the nations in anger.

13 Y ou went to save Your people, to save Your chosen ones. You crushed the leader of the land of the sinful and laid him open from thighs to neck.

You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the land of wickedness. You stripped them head to foot. Selah.

14 W ith his own spear You cut through the head of his soldiers. They came like a storm to send us everywhere, finding joy as if they were destroying in secret those who had it very hard.

You pierced the heads of his warriors with their own spears. They came as a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating as if to devour the wretched in secret.

15 Y ou stepped on the sea with Your horses, on the waves of many waters.

You trampled the sea with your horses, churning mighty waters.

16 I heard and my body shook. My lips shook at the sound. My bones began to waste away and my legs shook. Yet I will be quiet and wait for the day of trouble to come upon the people who fight against us.

I heard, and my body trembled. My lips quivered at the voice. Rottenness enters into my bones, and I tremble in my place, because I must wait quietly for the day of trouble, for the coming up of the people who invade us.

17 E ven if the fig tree does not grow figs and there is no fruit on the vines, even if the olives do not grow and the fields give no food, even if there are no sheep within the fence and no cattle in the cattle-building,

For though the fig tree doesn’t flourish, nor fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food; the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls:

18 y et I will have joy in the Lord. I will be glad in the God Who saves me.

yet I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

19 T he Lord God is my strength. He has made my feet like the feet of a deer, and He makes me walk on high places. This is for the song leader, on my different kinds of harps.

Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and enables me to go in high places. For the music director, on my stringed instruments.