Part 3

Habakkuk’s prayer

1 ¶ A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth.

2 O LORD, I have heard your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.

3 ¶ God came from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise.

4 His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, And there His power was hidden.

5 Before Him went pestilence, And fever followed at His feet.

6 He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, The perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting.

7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian trembled.

8 O LORD, were You displeased with the rivers, Was Your anger against the rivers, Was Your wrath against the sea, That You rode on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation?

9 Your bow was made quite ready; Oaths were sworn over Your arrows. Selah You divided the earth with rivers.

10 The mountains saw You and trembled; The overflowing of the water passed by. The deep uttered its voice, And lifted its hands on high.

11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation; At the light of Your arrows they went, At the shining of Your glittering spear.

12 You marched through the land in indignation; You trampled the nations in anger.

13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people, For salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, By laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah

14 You thrust through with his own arrows The head of his villages. They came out like a whirlwind to scatter me; Their rejoicing was like feasting on the poor in secret.

15 You walked through the sea with Your horses, Through the heap of great waters. (Habakkuk 3:1-15 NKJV)

This time Habakkuk shares not only does he have a more powerful view of God but also more accurate. In the first description we see God by what Habakkuk expects God to do, but here we are shown a deeper view of God revealing Who God is rather than what God should do.

How do you define God?

Habakkuk does declare God’s power but it is expressed by describing His power over nature. But Habakkuk asks why God did this.

How is this different from Habakkuk’s earlier description of God?

Does this effect how you understand God?

The word fear does mean fear but also reverence due to who they are and what they can do. Here it is used as a present declaration like he sat.

What does it mean to fear God?

How does this effect God being loving and gracious?

Do you fear God?