Hab 3:16-19 | NET2full | STEP | I listened and my stomach churned ; the sound made my lips quiver . My frame went limp, as if my bones were decaying , and I shook as I tried to walk . I long for the day of distress to come upon the people who attack us.

Habakkuk 3:16-19

Habakkuk Declares His Confidence

16 I listened and my stomach churned; ^{▼▼tn Heb “my insides trembled.”}
the sound made my lips quiver.
My frame went limp, as if my bones were decaying, ^{▼▼tn Heb “decay entered my bones.”}
and I shook as I tried to walk. ^{▼▼tc Heb “beneath me I shook, which….” The Hebrew term אֲשֶׁר (’asher) appears to be a relative pronoun, but a relative pronoun does not fit here. The translation assumes a reading אֲשֻׁרָי (’ashuray, “my steps”) as well as an emendation of the preceding verb to a third plural form.}
I long ^{▼▼tn The translation assumes that אָנוּחַ (’anuakh) is from the otherwise unattested verb נָוָח (navakh, “sigh”; see HALOT 680 s.v. II נוח; so also NEB). Most take this verb as נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”) and translate, “I wait patiently” (cf. NIV).} for the day of distress
to come upon ^{▼▼tn Heb “to come up toward.”} the people who attack us.
17 When ^{▼▼tn Or “though.”} the fig tree does not bud,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
when the olive trees do not produce ^{▼▼tn Heb “the produce of the olive disappoints.”}
and the fields yield no crops; ^{▼▼tn Heb “food.”}
when the sheep disappear ^{▼▼tn Or “are cut off.”} from the pen
and there are no cattle in the stalls—
18 I will rejoice because of ^{▼▼tn Or “in.”} the Lord;
I will be happy because of the God who delivers me!
19 The Sovereign Lord is my source of strength. ^{▼▼tn Or perhaps, “is my wall,” that is, “my protector.”}
He gives me the agility of a deer; ^{▼▼tn Heb “he makes my feet like those of deer.”}
he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. ^{▼▼tn Heb “he makes me walk on my high places.”} ^{▼▼sn Difficult times are coming, but Habakkuk is confident the Lord will sustain him. Habakkuk will be able to survive, just as the deer negotiates the difficult rugged terrain of the high places without injury.}

(This prayer is for the song leader. It is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.) ^{▼▼tn Heb “For the leader, on my stringed instruments.”}