Habakkuk's Prayer Begins
Study note
Habakkuk shifted from questioning God to praying and worshiping Him. The word 'Shigionoth' is a musical term that likely refers to a passionate, emotional style of singing. The prophet asked God to act again as He had done in the past, and to show mercy even while carrying out His judgment.
1 A prayer by the prophet Habakkuk, written to be sung in the style called Shigionoth. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
2 LORD, I have heard about the things you have done, and I stand in absolute awe. LORD, bring those mighty works back to life in our generation! Make them known in our time! And even when your anger is burning hot, please remember mercy. 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.
A Vision of God's Power
Study note
Habakkuk described a vision of God coming in power and glory. Teman and Mount Paran are located south of Israel, near where God first appeared to Moses and gave the Law at Sinai. The prophet recalled how God's presence shook the earth and scattered the nations. Cushan and Midian were regions whose people trembled before God's power.
3 God marched out from Teman. The Holy One advanced from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor blanketed the heavens, and the earth was flooded with his praise. 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 His brilliance blazed like the sunrise. Beams of light shot from his hand — and that is where his awesome power was tucked away. And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
5 Deadly plague marched ahead of him, and devastating sickness followed in his footsteps. Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
6 He stopped and the earth shook violently. He glanced around and nations fell apart. The oldest mountains crumbled to pieces and the ancient hills collapsed flat. But his ways stretch back to eternity. 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 shaking with fear. The tent curtains of Midian were flapping in terror. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
God's Victory over Creation
Study note
This section pictures God as a mighty warrior riding into battle to save His people. The images recall God's great acts of deliverance, especially the parting of the Red Sea and the crossing of the Jordan River. 'Selah' is a musical pause, giving the listener time to reflect on what was just said. The entire passage celebrates God's supreme power over rivers, seas, mountains, and even the sun and moon.
8 LORD, were you angry at the rivers? Was your fury aimed at the streams? Was your wrath directed at the sea when you charged out on your horses and your chariots of victory? 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 You drew your bow and loaded your arrows, keeping the oath you made to the tribes of Israel. Selah. You cracked the earth open and rivers gushed out. 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 you and writhed in agony. Walls of water swept past. The deep ocean bellowed and threw its waves sky-high. 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 froze in place up in the sky. They halted at the flash of your flying arrows and the gleam of your lightning-bright spear. 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 You stormed across the earth in fury. You trampled the nations in righteous anger. Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
13 You charged out to save your people — to rescue the one you anointed. You crushed the leader of the wicked nation, stripping him completely bare. Selah. 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 You used his own weapons to pierce his warriors' heads. They had charged out like a tornado to scatter us, gloating as though they were about to devour the helpless in their hiding places. 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 You rode your horses straight through the sea, churning through the mighty deep waters. Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.
Habakkuk's Declaration of Faith
Study note
Habakkuk's book ends with one of the greatest statements of faith in the Bible. After hearing about the coming invasion, the prophet trembled with fear. But he chose to trust God no matter what. Even if every crop failed and every animal was lost, he would still rejoice in the Lord. This passage has inspired believers for over 2,600 years to trust God in the darkest times.
16 When I heard all this, my whole body went weak. My lips quivered. My bones felt hollow. My legs shook uncontrollably. Yet I will wait quietly and patiently for the day of reckoning to fall on the nation that attacked us. 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 What if the fig trees do not bloom? What if no grapes hang from the vines? What if the olive crop fails and the fields grow no food? What if every sheep is gone and no cow stands in the barn? 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. Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord GOD is my strength. He gives me feet as sure as a mountain deer and leads me safely across the highest ridges. For the worship leader: to be played on stringed instruments. 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.