The LORD Answers Again

1I will stand at my guard post

and station myself on the ramparts.

I will watch to see what He will say to me,

and how I should answer when corrected.

2Then the LORD answered me:

“Write down this vision

and clearly inscribe it on tablets,

so that a herald may run with it.

3For the vision awaits an appointed time;

it testifies of the end and does not lie.

Though it lingers, wait for it,

since it will surely come and will not delay.a

4Look at the proud one; his soul is not uprightb —

but the righteous will live by faithc —

5and wealthd indeed betrays him.

He is an arrogant man never at rest.

He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,

and like Death, he is never satisfied.

He gathers all the nations to himself

and collects all the peoples as his own.

Woe to the Chaldeans

6Will not all of these take up a taunt against him,

speaking with mockery and derision:

‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his

and makes himself rich with many loans!

How long will this go on?’

7Will not your creditors suddenly arise

and those who disturb you awaken?

Then you will become their prey.

8Because you have plundered many nations,

the remnant of the people will plunder you—

because of your bloodshed against man

and your violence against the land, the city,

and all their dwellers.

9Woe to him who builds his house

by unjust gain,

to place his nest on high

and escape the hand of disaster!

10You have plotted shame for your house

by cutting off many peoples

and forfeiting your life.e

11For the stones will cry out from the wall,

and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork.

12Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed

and establishes a town by iniquity!

13Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts

that the labor of the people only feeds the fire,

and the nations weary themselves in vain?

14For the earth will be filled

with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD

as the waters cover the sea.

15Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors,

pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk,

in order to gaze at their nakedness!

16You will be filled with shame instead of glory.

You too must drink

and expose your uncircumcision!f

The cup in the LORD’s right hand

will come around to you,

and utter disgrace will cover your glory.

17For your violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you,

and the destruction of animals will terrify you,

because of your bloodshed against men

and your violence against the land, the city,

and all their dwellers.

18What use is an idol,

that a craftsman should carve it—

or an image,

a teacher of lies?

For its maker trusts in his own creation;

he makes idols that cannot speak.

19Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’

or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’

Can it give guidance?

Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,

yet there is no breath in it at all.”

20But the LORD is in His holy temple;

let all the earth be silent before Him.

Footnotes:

3 a Or Though He lingers, wait for Him, since He will surely come and will not delay ; see also LXX; cited in Hebrews 10:37.
4 b LXX If he should draw back, My soul has no pleasure in him 
4 c Or faithfulness ; cited in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38
5 d DSS; MT wine 
10 e Literally sinning against your soul 
16 f DSS, LXX, and Syriac and stagger 

Habakkuk’s Prayer

1This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth:a

2O LORD, I have heard the report of You;

I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds.

Revive them in these years;

make them known in these years.

In Your wrath, remember mercy!

3God came from Teman,

and the Holy One from Mount Paran.

Selahb

His glory covered the heavens,

and His praise filled the earth.

4His radiance was like the sunlight;

rays flashed from His hand,

where His power is hidden.

5Plague went before Him,

and fever followed in His steps.

6He stood and measured the earth;

He looked and startled the nations;

the ancient mountains crumbled;

the perpetual hills collapsed.

His ways are everlasting.

7I saw the tents of Cushan in distress;

the curtains of Midian were trembling.

8Were You angry at the rivers, O LORD?

Was Your wrath against the streams?

Did You rage against the sea

when You rode on Your horses,

on Your chariots of salvation?

9You brandished Your bow;

You called for many arrows.

Selah

You split the earth with rivers.

10The mountains saw You and quaked;

torrents of water swept by.

The deep roared with its voice

and lifted its hands on high.

11Sun and moon stood still

in their places

at the flash of Your flying arrows,

at the brightness of Your shining spear.

12You marched across the earth with fury;

You threshed the nations in wrath.

13You went forth for the salvation of Your people,

to save Your anointed.

You crushed the head of the house of the wicked

and stripped him from head to toe.

Selah

14With his own spear You pierced his head,

when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,

gloating as though ready

to secretly devour the weak.

15You trampled the sea with Your horses,

churning the great waters.

16I heard and trembled within;

my lips quivered at the sound.

Decay entered my bones;

I trembled where I stood.

Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress

to come upon the people who invade us.

Habakkuk Rejoices

17Though the fig tree does not bud

and no fruit is on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though the sheep are cut off from the fold

and no cattle are in the stalls,

18yet I will exult in the LORD;

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!

19GOD the Lord is my strength;

He makes my feet like those of a deer;

He makes me walk upon the heights!

For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments.

Footnotes:

1 a Shigionoth  is probably a musical term indicating the setting for the prayer.
3 b Selah  or Interlude  is probably a musical or literary term; also in verses 9 and 13.