1 A PRAYER of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
2 O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
8 Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?
9 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.
11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.
12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.
14 Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.
16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet vpon Sigionoth.

2O Lord, I haue heard thy speach, and was afraide: O Lord, reuiue thy worke in the midst of the yeeres, in the midst of the yeeres make knowen; in wrath remember mercy.

3God came from Teman, and the holy on from mount Paran Selah. His glory couered the heauens and the earth was full of his praise.

4And his brightnesse was as the light: he had hornes comming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his power:

5Before him went the pestilence, and burning coales went forth at his feete.

6He stood and measured the earth: hee beheld and droue asunder the nations, and the euerlasting mountaines were scattered, the perpetuall hilles did bowe: his wayes are euerlasting.

7I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtaines of the land of Midian did tremble.

8Was the Lord displeased against the riuers? was thine anger against the riuers? was thy wrath against the Sea, that thou didst ride vpon thine horses, and thy charets of saluation?

9Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oathes of the tribes, euen thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleaue the earth with riuers.

10The mountaines sawe thee, and they trembled: the ouerflowing of the water passed by: the deepe vttered his voyce, and lift vp his hands on high.

11The Sunne and Moone stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrowes they went, and at the shining of thy glittering speare.

12Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.

13Thou wentest forth for the saluation of thy people, euen for saluation with thine Anointed, thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discouering the foundation vnto the necke. Selah.

14Thou didst strike through with his staues the head of his villages: they came out as a whirle-winde to scatter me: their reioycing was as to deuoure the poore secretly.

15Thou didst walke through the Sea with thine horses, through the heape of great waters.

16When I heard, my belly trembled: my lips quiuered at the voice: rottennesse entred into my bones, and I trembled in my selfe, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when hee commeth vp vnto the people, he wil inuade them with his troupes.

17 Although the fig tree shall not blossome, neither shall fruite bee in the vines: the labour of the Oliue shall faile, and the fields shal yeeld no meat, the flocke shall be cut off from the folde, and there shalbe no heard in the stalles:

18Yet I will reioyce in the Lord: I will ioy in the God of my saluation.

19The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hindes feet, and he will make me to walke vpon mine high places. To the chiefe singer on my stringed instruments.

 

II == Ps 85:6

 

 

III == Deut 33:2 ; Judg 5:4 ; Ps 68:7

 

 

 

V == Deut 32:24 ; Ps 18:8 ; Nah 1:3

VI == Gen 49:26 ; Nah 1:5

 

 

VIII == Deut 33:26-27 ; Ps 68:4 ; 104:3 ; Hab 3:15

 

 

 

IX == Ps 78:15-16 105:41

 

 

X == Ex 14:22 ; 19:16 , 18 ; Josh 3:16 ; Judg 5:4-5 ; Ps 68:8 ; 77:18 ; 114:4

XI == Josh 10:11-13 ; Ps 18:14 ; 77:17-18

XII ==Jer 51:33 ; Amos 1:3 ; Mic 4:13

XIII == Josh 10:24 ; 11:8 , 12 Ps 68:21

 

 

 

 

 

 

XV == Ps 77:19

 

XVI == Ps 119:120 ; Jer 23:9

 

 

 

XVIII == Job 13:15 ; Isa 41:16 ; 61:10

 

 

 

 

XIX == Deut 32:13 ; 33:29 ; 2nd Sam 22:34 ; Ps 18:33 ; 27:1

 

1 Prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet. To a plaintive tune.

2 O LORD, I have heard your renown, and feared, O LORD, your work. In the course of the years revive it, in the course of the years make it known; in your wrath remember compassion!

3 God comes from Teman , the Holy One from Mount Paran. Covered are the heavens with his glory, and with his praise the earth is filled.

4 His splendor spreads like the light; rays shine forth from beside him, where his power is concealed.

5 Before him goes pestilence, and the plague follows in his steps.

6 He pauses to survey the earth; his look makes the nations tremble. The eternal mountains are shattered, the age-old hills bow low along his ancient ways.

7 I see the tents of Cushan collapse; trembling are the pavilions of the land of Midian.

8 Is your anger against the streams, O LORD? Is your wrath against the streams, your rage against the sea, That you drive the steeds of your victorious chariot?

9 Bared and ready is your bow, filled with arrows is your quiver. Into streams you split the earth;

10 at sight of you the mountains tremble. A torrent of rain descends; the ocean gives forth its roar. The sun forgets to rise,

11 the moon remains in its shelter, At the light of your flying arrows, at the gleam of your flashing spear.

12 In wrath you bestride the earth, in fury you trample the nations.

13 You come forth to save your people, to save your anointed one. You crush the heads of the wicked, you lay bare their bases at the neck.

14 You pierce with your shafts the heads of their princes whose boast would be of devouring the wretched in their lair.

15 You tread the sea with your steeds amid the churning of the deep waters.

16 I hear, and my body trembles; at the sound, my lips quiver. Decay invades my bones, my legs tremble beneath me. I await the day of distress that will come upon the people who attack us.

17 For though the fig tree blossom not nor fruit be on the vines, Though the yield of the olive fail and the terraces produce no nourishment, Though the flocks disappear from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,

18 Yet will I rejoice in the LORD and exult in my saving God.

19 GOD, my Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet swift as those of hinds and enables me to go upon the heights. For the leader; with stringed instruments

Habakkuk's Prayer

The lesson is that Man shall live by Faith (2:2-4)

v 1. The Dead Sea Scrolls Commentary does not mention this chapter, but it is a prayer of praise given by Habakkuk in musical form for God’s answers in chapter 2. Habakkuk identifies himself as the prophet. Enthusiastic irregularity of chords on stringed instruments, also v 19.

v 2. Before his praise, Habakkuk asks for: a, Fresh manifestation of God’s power in his own day; b, In God’s acts of judgment, he asks for mercy.

v 3. After mentioning the area where God spoke to Moses from the mount, he says Selah. In the 71 times it is used in Psalms, it is a break in the music for effect as they “Think of that”. At Sinai God’s revelation of Himself outshone the sun and moon, and His fame penetrated to the uttermost parts of the earth.

v 4. There radiance emanating from God revealed his “horns” or power, but only partially, or the people would have been consumed.

v 5. Pestilence preceded the Lord as in Egypt and lightning followed to show His power. Some think it was a disease accompanied by a burning fever.

v 6. When God stops to measure the earth at a glance, even mountains quake. Notes on Exodus. 19:16-19.

v 7. All the nations trembled when they heard of God delivering from Egypt. Notice Sinai is in Midian, which is in Arabia, not traditional Sinai.

v 8. God was not angry with the rivers, but showed power in delivering Israel.

v 9. God unsheathes His bow and keeps His oaths. Selah. He forms new rivers. Probably not referring to river from the rock, Ps. 78:15,16, but to the overflowing use God made of the waters at times on Israel’s foes.

v 10. Mountains quake and even underground waters react to God’s power.

v 11. Sun and moon stood still, Josh. 10:12,13. Hail and lightning were His.

v 12. Habakkuk sees God as a giant trampling His enemies as He walks through.

v 13. As God used Moses etc. to deliver Israel, He is preserving the Messiah, who will ultimately deliver. Meanwhile, Babylon will be engulfed to the neck, near death.

v 14. Habakkuk identifies with Judah, “me”, when Babylonians came gloating over their conquest. There were times when confused enemies fought each other, as in 1 Sam. 14:16.

v 15. This is the deliverance through the Red Sea, as though He was on horses. 

v 16. In 2:1 Habakkuk said he would watch and see for the Lord’s answer, and it was so dramatic it left him so awe stricken he was practically undone. Viewing God’s power in the past assured him God would destroy Babylon and preserve Judah.

v 17,18. After listing the worst possible consequences of sin, which Babylon did inflict on Judah, Habakkuk maintained he wouldn’t just endure, but rejoice in the Lord.

v 19. His strength was not personal stamina, but was from the Lord. God would inspire him to bound through trials and rise in triumph of victory. In conclusion he tells the director of music to accompany his poetic utterance of this chapter with stringed instruments. See also v 1. He had begun the book with discouragement and perplexity, but ended with the Lord not only answering him, but giving him confidence and victory.