Habakkuk’s Prayer
1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
2 O Lord, xI have heard the report of you,
and yyour work, O Lord, do I fear.
In the midst of the years zrevive it;
in the midst of the years make it known;
ain wrath remember mercy.
3 God came from bTeman,
cand the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covered the heavens,
and the earth was full of his praise.
4 dHis brightness was like the light;
rays flashed from his hand;
and there he veiled his power.
5 eBefore him went pestilence,
and plague followed fat his heels.1
6 He stood gand measured the earth;
he looked and shook the nations;
then the heternal mountains iwere scattered;
the everlasting hills sank low.
His were jthe everlasting ways.
7 I saw the tents of kCushan in affliction;
lthe curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
8 mWas your wrath against the rivers, O Lord?
Was your anger against the rivers,
mor your indignation against the sea,
nwhen you rode on your horses,
non your chariot of salvation?
9 You stripped the sheath from your bow,
calling for many arrows.2 Selah
pYou split the earth with rivers.
10 qThe mountains saw you and writhed;
the raging waters swept on;
rthe deep gave forth its voice;
sit lifted its hands on high.
11 tThe sun and moon stood still in their place
uat the light of your arrows as they sped,
at the flash of your glittering spear.
12 vYou marched through the earth in fury;
wyou threshed the nations in anger.
13 vYou went out for the salvation of your people,
for the salvation of xyour anointed.
yYou crushed the head of the house of the wicked,
laying him bare from thigh to neck.3 Selah
14 You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors,
who came like a whirlwind to scatter me,
rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.
15 zYou trampled the sea with your horses,
the surging of mighty waters.
16 aI hear, and bmy body trembles;
my lips quiver at the sound;
crottenness enters into my bones;
my legs tremble beneath me.
Yet dI will quietly wait for the day of trouble
to come upon people who invade us.
Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 eyet I will rejoice in the Lord;
fI will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
ghe makes my feet like the deer’s;
Sacrifices Pleasing to God
1 Let ubrotherly love continue. 2 vDo not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby wsome have entertained angels unawares. 3 xRemember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 yLet marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge zthe sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life afree from love of money, and bbe content with what you have, for he has said, c“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,
d“The Lord is my helper;
eI will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
7 Remember fyour leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and gimitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is hthe same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be iled away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, jnot by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar kfrom which those who serve the tent1 have no right to eat. 11 For lthe bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned moutside the camp. 12 So Jesus also nsuffered ooutside the gate in order to sanctify the people pthrough his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear qthe reproach he endured. 14 For rhere we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 sThrough him then let us continually offer up ta sacrifice of praise to God, that is, uthe fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and vto share what you have, for such wsacrifices are pleasing to God.
17 Obey xyour leaders and submit to them, yfor they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to zgive an account. aLet them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
18 bPray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order cthat I may be restored to you the sooner.
Benediction
20 Now dmay the God of peace ewho brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, fthe great shepherd of the sheep, by gthe blood of the eternal covenant, 21 hequip you with everything good that you may do his will, iworking in us2 that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, jto whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
22 I appeal to you, brothers,3 bear with my word of exhortation, for kI have written to you briefly. 23 You should know that lour brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. 24 Greet all myour leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. 25 nGrace be with all of you.
