seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Habakkuk 3:1 A p
rayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.[a]
2 Lord, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy.
I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy.
3 God came from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.[b]
His glory covered the heavens
and his praise filled the earth.
4 His splendor was like the sunrise;
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power was hidden.
5 Plague went before him;
pestilence followed his steps.
6 He stood, and shook the earth;
he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
and the age-old hills collapsed—
but he marches on forever.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
the dwellings of Midian in anguish.
the Holy One from Mount Paran.[b]
His glory covered the heavens
and his praise filled the earth.
4 His splendor was like the sunrise;
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power was hidden.
5 Plague went before him;
pestilence followed his steps.
6 He stood, and shook the earth;
he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
and the age-old hills collapsed—
but he marches on forever.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
the dwellings of Midian in anguish.
8 Were you angry with the rivers, Lord?
Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
when you rode your horses
and your chariots to victory?
9 You uncovered your bow,
you called for many arrows.
You split the earth with rivers;
10 the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
the deep roared
and lifted its waves on high.
Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
when you rode your horses
and your chariots to victory?
9 You uncovered your bow,
you called for many arrows.
You split the earth with rivers;
10 the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
the deep roared
and lifted its waves on high.
11 Sun and moon stood still in the heavens
at the glint of your flying arrows,
at the lightning of your flashing spear.
12 In wrath you strode through the earth
and in anger you threshed the nations.
13 You came out to deliver your people,
to save your anointed one.
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
you stripped him from head to foot.
14 With his own spear you pierced his head
when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
gloating as though about to devour
the wretched who were in hiding.
15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
churning the great waters.
at the glint of your flying arrows,
at the lightning of your flashing spear.
12 In wrath you strode through the earth
and in anger you threshed the nations.
13 You came out to deliver your people,
to save your anointed one.
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
you stripped him from head to foot.
14 With his own spear you pierced his head
when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
gloating as though about to devour
the wretched who were in hiding.
15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
churning the great waters.
16 I heard and my heart pounded,
my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
to come on the nation invading us.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
to come on the nation invading us.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
a. Habakkuk 3:1 Probably a literary or musical term
b. Habakkuk 3:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the middle of verse 9 and at the end of verse 13.
I am starting with enduringworld.com.
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet: The first two chapters of Habakkuk presented the prophet’s question and answer time with God. Now that God had answered Habakkuk, the prophet brought a prayer to close the book.
O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years: Habakkuk simply prayed for revival. He knew how God once worked and how His people once responded, and Habakkuk wanted to see that again.
In the midst of the years make it known: Habakkuk longed for God to do a work that was evident to everyone as a work of God. He prayed that revival would be known at a definite time and place (in the midst of the years), not just as an idea in someone’s head.
In wrath remember mercy: Habakkuk prayed knowing well that they didn’t deserve revival, so he prayed for mercy. The idea is, “LORD, I know that we deserve your wrath, but in the midst of your wrath remember mercy and send revival among us.”
He will invade him with his troops: The prophet remembered that the Babylonians were coming, and that this God of sovereign power and majesty would direct their work against Judah.
Though the fig tree may not blossom, not fruit be on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation: In almost a vision, Habakkuk saw the Judean countryside desolate, perhaps from the invading Babylonian army or perhaps from natural calamity. In the midst of this almost complete loss, Habakkuk could still rejoice in the LORD.
The LORD God is my strength: Habakkuk could only properly declare this after he prayed the prayer of faith in the previous verses. He rightly declared that his strength was not in fig trees or vines or fields or flocks, but only in the LORD God.
He will make my feet like deer’s feet: Habakkuk thought of the deer running about on the high hills, never losing a step and never falling. More than that, the deer positively dance and leap on the hills – they are full of life and joy. So the prophet proclaimed, “God will set my steps that firmly and lively also. As I trust in Him, He will not allow me to slip or fall, and I will do more than merely plod along – I will skip about with life and joy.”
This is from the easy English site.The book ends with a psalm (a song with music)! Habakkuk may have worked with one of the music groups in the temple in Jerusalem. He tells them what music to use, and what musical instruments, (verses 1 and 19). The psalm remembers what God did. He led his people out of Egypt. That was 800 years before Habakkuk. If God did great things then, he can do great things now! (That is still true for us.) The plagues and pestilences in verse 5 are what happened to the Egyptians. This was when they did not obey God. The sea in verses 8 and 10 was the Red Sea. God led his people through it, and they did not even get their feet wet! Verses 6-12 describe a great storm. The ‘leader of the wicked country’ in verse 13 was Pharaoh, King of Egypt.
All this makes Habakkuk afraid, verse 16. But he says this: Whatever happens he will still praise the LORD (verse 17).
He knows that God is still in authority! That is why he can still praise God. Even when times are bad, he will be like an animal. This animal can climb mountains with no difficulty! The animal is called the deer.
And this is from bibletrack.org.Regarding the usage of the word "shigionoth" in verse 1, here's a note from Easton's Bible Dictionary:
So here's the deal. Judah/Jerusalem is wicked; the Babylonians are more wicked. God has declared he'll use the Babylonians to punish Judah/Jerusalem. Of course, the problem is that Judah/Jerusalem goes on being wicked. So, Habakkuk writes a song reflecting back on God's deliverance of Israel. We know it's a song from verse 19 where he gives a little musical direction to it. The song closes out in verses 17-19 with this realization, "God may punish my nation and my people, but I'm gonna rejoice in the Lord anyway."
Incidentally, for those who want to see the fig tree as always a metaphorical reference to Israel, I'm afraid that in verse 17, this is really just a fig tree.
So, Habakkuk is a book about the judgment of God upon the Jews and the Babylonians...capped off by a song.
IMHO... that's a really good example of how our faith is tested too. When I was a kid... my spirituality was simple "Jesus Loves Me" and "The Bible tells me so" and who told me what the Bible says... the good preacher in the wonderful church. Then as I grew older.... I started to hear the inconsistencies in the sermons. Then I started to see the differences in translations. As I grew older I heard things like "If God is so great" or "If God wanted me to" and those other phrases meant to cast doubt on the authority of God. These are just like the edges of the sidewalk to some young Christians.
I've known a lot of people who use to be faithful..... not religious.... but faithful. IMHO... being religious is a side affect of faithful. When young Christians try to be around other Christians... they can run into the "religious" people and if the teaching is wrong... it's like throwing pebbles on the sidewalk that will trip up a new Christian. On top of that.... there are so many "religious bigots" around.... those people who claim that if you don't dress a certain way... or have a certain tithe paid ever week on time.... or if you don't look down on certain other humans [in public] then you don't belong in their church. They think they are better than those of other race or heritage. Those "religious bigots" change the meaning to support the church, paycheck and housing.... in their interpretation of the scripture.
When I was a kid the church taught that it was horrible for a Catholic to marry a Protestant. When I was a kid people went to church based on the color of their skin. When I was a teen.... anyone who read a Bible other than the KJV did not belong. When I was an adult.... the sex of the priest, preacher, or pastor had to be defined. And lately.... the church is judging the sexual preference of those who want to enter the church. When I was a kid.... my mom told me that I was a WASP. Today.... that has become a bitter taste in my mouth.
Habakkuk said.... those of us who believe will be sure footed. He said.... put your faith in God and He'll keep you on the sidewalk.
