1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, put to Shigionoth.

2 O Lord, word of you has come to my ears; I have seen your work, O Lord; when the years come near make it clear; in wrath keep mercy in mind.

3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. The heavens were covered with his glory, and the earth was full of his praise.

4 He was shining like the light; he had rays coming out from his hand: there his power was kept secret.

5 Before him went disease, and flames went out at his feet.

6 From his high place he sent shaking on the earth; he saw and nations were suddenly moved: and the eternal mountains were broken, the unchanging hills were bent down; his ways are eternal.

7 The curtains of Cushan were troubled, and the tents of Midian were shaking.

8 Was your wrath burning against the rivers? were you angry with the sea, that you went on your horses, on your war-carriages of salvation?

9 Your bow was quite uncovered. Selah. By you the earth was cut through with rivers.

10 The mountains saw you and were moved with fear; the clouds were streaming with water: the voice of the deep was sounding; the sun did not come up, and the moon kept still in her place.

11 At the light of your arrows they went away, at the shining of your polished spear.

12 You went stepping through the land in wrath, crushing the nations in your passion.

13 You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of the one on whom your holy oil was put; wounding the head of the family of the evil-doer, uncovering the base even to the neck. Selah.

14 You have put your spears through his head, his horsemen were sent in flight like dry stems; they had joy in driving away the poor, in making a meal of them secretly.

15 The feet of your horses were on the sea, on the mass of great waters.

16 Hearing it, my inner parts were moved, and my lips were shaking at the sound; my bones became feeble, and my steps were uncertain under me: I gave sounds of grief in the day of trouble, when his forces came up against the people in bands.

17 For though the fig-tree has no flowers, and there is no fruit on the vine, and work on the olive comes to nothing, and the fields give no food; and the flock is cut off from its resting-place, and there is no herd in the cattle-house:

18 Still, I will be glad in the Lord, my joy will be in the God of my salvation.

19 The Lord God is my strength, and he makes my feet like roes' feet, guiding me on my high places. For the chief music-maker on corded instruments.

1 En bønn av profeten Habakuk; efter Sjigjonot*. / {* SLM 7, 1.}

2 Herre, jeg har hørt budskapet om dig, jeg er forferdet. Herre, din gjerning* - kall den til live før mange år er lidd, ja, kunngjør den før mange år er lidd! I din vrede komme du i hu å forbarme dig! / {* HAB 1, 5; 2, 2 fg.}

3 Gud kommer fra Teman, den Hellige fra Paran-fjellet. Sela. Hans prakt dekker himmelen, og jorden er full av hans herlighet.

4 En glans som solens lys bryter frem, stråler omgir ham, og i dem er hans makt skjult.

5 Pest går frem for hans åsyn, og sott følger hans fottrin.

6 Han stiger frem og ryster jorden; han ser op og får folkene til å skjelve; de evige fjell sprenges i stykker, de eldgamle hauger synker sammen; hans gang er som i eldgammel tid.

7 Jeg ser Kusans telter i sorg, teltteppene i Midians land bever.

8 Harmes du, Herre, på elvene, er din vrede optendt mot dem, eller din harme mot havet, siden du farer frem på dine hester, på dine seierrike vogner?

9 Bar og naken er din bue - dine eder til stammene, ditt ord*! - Sela. Til elver kløver du jorden. / {* blir nu synlig fullbyrdet.}

10 Fjellene ser dig og bever, vannstrømmer styrter frem; avgrunnen lar sin røst høre, den løfter sine hender mot det høie.

11 Sol og måne treder inn i sin bolig for lyset av dine piler, som farer frem, for glansen av ditt lynende spyd.

12 I harme skrider du frem over jorden, i vrede treder du folkene ned.

13 Du drar ut til frelse for ditt folk, til frelse for din salvede; du knuser taket på den ugudeliges* hus, du avdekker grunnvollen like til halsen. Sela. / {* kaldeerkongens.}

14 Du gjennemborer med hans* eget spyd hodene på hans skarer, som stormer frem for å sprede mig og gleder sig likesom de skulde til å opete en arming i lønndom. / {* den ugudeliges; HAB 3, 13.}

15 Du farer gjennem havet med dine hester, gjennem en haug av store vann.

16 Jeg hørte det*; da bevet mitt indre, ved lyden dirret mine leber; det kommer råttenhet i mine ben, og jeg bever hvor jeg står, fordi jeg rolig må bie på nødens dag, bie på at han drar op mot folket, han som skal trenge det. / {* HAB 3, 2.}

17 For fikentreet springer ikke ut, og vintrærne bærer ikke, oljetreets frukt slår feil, og markene gir ingen føde; han* har utryddet fårene av kveen, og det finnes ikke fe i fjøsene. / {* kaldeeren.}

18 Men jeg vil fryde mig i Herren, jeg vil juble i min frelses Gud.

19 Herren, Israels Gud, er min kraft, han gjør mine føtter som hindenes og lar mig skride frem over mine høider. Til sangmesteren, med min strengelek.