Habakkuk’s Prayer
1 This is my prayer:
2 I know your reputation, Lord,
and I am amazed
at what you have
done.
Please turn from your anger
and be merciful;
do for us what you did
for our ancestors.
3 You are the same Holy God
who came from Teman
and Paran to
help us.
The brightness of your glory
covered the heavens,
and your praises were heard
everywhere on
earth.
4 Your glory shone like the sun,
and light flashed from your hands,
hiding your mighty
power.
5 Dreadful diseases and plagues
marched in front
and followed behind.
6 When you stopped,
the earth shook;
when you stared,
nations trembled;
when you walked
along your ancient
paths,
eternal mountains and hills
crumbled and collapsed.
7 The tents of desert tribes
in Cushan and Midian
were ripped apart.
8 Our Lord, were you angry
with the monsters
of the deep?
You attacked in your chariot
and wiped them
out.
9 Your arrows were ready
and obeyed your
commands.
You split the earth apart
with rivers and
streams;
10 mountains trembled
at the sight of
you;
rain poured from the clouds;
ocean waves roared
and rose.
11 The sun and moon stood still,
while your arrows and spears
flashed like lightning.
12 In your furious anger,
you trampled on
nations
13 to rescue your people
and save your
chosen one.
You crushed a nation’s ruler
and stripped his evil kingdom
of its power.
14 His troops had come like a storm,
hoping to scatter us
and glad to gobble
us down.
To them we were refugees
in hiding—
but you smashed their heads
with their own
weapons.
15 Then your chariots churned
the waters of
the sea.
Habakkuk’s Response to God’s Message
16 When I heard this message,
I felt weak from fear,
and
my lips quivered.
My bones seemed to melt,
and
I stumbled around.
But I will patiently wait.
Someday those vicious enemies
will
be struck by disaster.
Trust in a Time of Trouble
17 Fig trees may no longer bloom,
or
vineyards produce grapes;
olive trees may be fruitless,
and
harvest time a failure;
sheep pens may be empty,
and
cattle stalls vacant—
18 but I will still celebrate
because the Lord God
saves
me.
19 The Lord gives me strength.
He makes my feet as sure
as
those of a deer,
and he helps me stand
on
the mountains.
To the music director:
Use stringed instruments.
The Contemporary English Version, c1995 by the American Bible Society.
Selected texts provided for use with the Amos: Hypertext Bible Commentary