Habakkuk's Prayer

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. 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. 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.

And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power. Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. 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. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

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? Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. 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.

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. Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. 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.  (Habakkuk 3:1-13 kjv)

The Book of HABAKKUK Very little is known about Habakkuk except his name, which means either "the embracer" the wrestler." These meanings correspond to Habakkuk's "wrestling" with the question of why God would let evil go unpunished and then why He would bring calamity on His own people (Hab.1:13), while at the same time he "embraced" by faith the salvation of the LORD (Hab.3:18). Most scholars accept 606 B.C. as an approximate date for his prophecy. This was just before the Battle of Carchemish, which established Babylon as the ruling power in the area of Palestine. Others consider the book to have been written around 655 B.C., in the reign of Manasseh, king of Judah. Habakkuk was deeply troubled with the injustice that prevailed in his land (Hab. 1:3, 4), and was desirous that the Lord would act against it. However, when God informed him that the Chaldeans (i.e., Babylonians, cf. Dan. 3:8) would rise up to destroy Judah (Hab. 1:5 -11). Habakkuk was not pleased. He questioned why God's people should perish at the hands of these Chaldeans who were heathens (Hab. 1:12 -17).   God's reply was "wait," consider who I am , and keep silent (Hab. 2:1 -20). Habakkuk accepts this verdict and offers up a prayer, which expresses his trust in God (Hab. 3:1 -9). The inquiries that Habakkuk made of God have been echoed by many of God's children down through the ages. The answers he received conclusively affirm that God is not accountable to any man. He is in no way obligated to comply with man's ideas of how He should handle situations. How often do Christians pray as though they would control the hand of God, and direct the Almighty in his path? The answer of the Lord convinces Habakkuk that God is completely wise and sovereign in all his dealings with men. [Source for Introduction of chapter: Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible KJV edited by Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN 37422]