The following is the message ¹  which God revealed to Habakkuk the prophet: ² 

For recognition of the Lord’s sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea. ¹ 

For the stones in the walls will cry out, and the wooden rafters will answer back. ¹ 

But you trample on the sea with your horses, on the surging, raging waters. ¹ 

I see the tents of Cushan overwhelmed by trouble; ¹  the tent curtains of the land of Midian are shaking. ² 

He takes his battle position ¹  and shakes ²  the earth; with a mere look he frightens ³  the nations. The ancient mountains disintegrate; ⁴  the primeval hills are flattened. He travels on the ancient roads. ⁵ 

You furiously stomp on the earth, you angrily trample down the nations.

When ¹  the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines; when the olive trees do not produce, ²  and the fields yield no crops; ³  when the sheep disappear ⁴  from the pen, and there are no cattle in the stalls,

When the mountains see you, they shake. The torrential downpour sweeps through. ¹  The great deep ²  shouts out; it lifts its hands high. ³ 

But the Lord is in his majestic palace. ¹  The whole earth is speechless in his presence!” ² 

God comes ¹  from Teman, ²  the sovereign ³  one from Mount Paran. ⁴  Selah. ⁵  His splendor covers the skies, ⁶  his glory ⁷  fills the earth.

For this reason the law lacks power, ¹  and justice is never carried out. ²  Indeed, ³  the wicked intimidate ⁴  the innocent. ⁵  For this reason justice is perverted. ⁶ 

You march out to deliver your people, to deliver your special servant. ¹  You strike the leader of the wicked nation, ²  laying him open from the lower body to the neck. ³  Selah.

The sun and moon stand still in their courses; ¹  the flash of your arrows drives them away, ²  the bright light of your lightning-quick spear. ³ 

This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet: ¹ 

I will rejoice because of ¹  the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me!

Is the Lord mad at the rivers? Are you angry with the rivers? Are you enraged at the sea? ¹  Is this why ²  you climb into your horse-drawn chariots, ³  your victorious chariots? ⁴ 

You made people like fish in the sea, like animals in the sea ¹  that have no ruler.

The sovereign Lord is my source of strength. ¹  He gives me the agility of a deer; ²  he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. ³  (This prayer is for the song leader. It is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.) ⁴ 

Look, I am about to empower ¹  the Babylonians, that ruthless ²  and greedy ³  nation. They sweep across the surface ⁴  of the earth, seizing dwelling places that do not belong to them.