052. IV. The Prayer Of Faith—A Lyric Ode ( Habakkuk 3)

IV THE PRAYER OF FAITH—A LYRIC ODE ( Habakkuk 3) The invocation (Habakkuk 3:2).

I heard thy message, and I was affrighted.

Thy work revive yet again, O Jehovah;

Ere long reveal thyself strong to deliver;

Mercy forget not when judgment thou sendest The Almighty will come as of old, The Supreme from his ancient abode, The response (Habakkuk 3:3-6). With his glory the heavens are spread And his praise fills the earth, far and wide; For his splendor is like the clear light;

He has rays coming forth from his hand, And therein has he hidden his strength. The dread pestilence goes on before, Burning fever pursues in his track;

Now he stands, and behold the earth rocks, At his glance mighty nations do quake, And the mountains eternal fall down.

Low before him the ancient hills bow.

God to-day, as of old, is the same. The purpose of Jehovah’s advent (Habakkuk 3:7-15).

Egypt’s sons in sad plight I behold Lo, the men of wild Midian fear!

Art thou, Lord, again wroth with the streams, That in terror before thee they flee? Is thy fury now turned toward the seas, That thou drivest thy swift steeds, the clouds, Which thy chariots of victory draw? That thou barest thy bow for the strife, So that cleft are the seas by thy stroke? In thy presence the mountains retire, The great floods seek in fear to depart, The abyss also lifts up his voice, The proud heights raise toward heaven their hands, Both the sun and the moon cease their course, At the gleam of thy bolts, as they fly, At the flash of thy spears, as they glance.

Since in anger thou treadest the earth, And in fury thou smitest thy foes. To deliver thy sons art thou come, To deliver thine own art thou here.

Wicked foes hast thou cast to the earth, Their last hope hast thou torn from their hearts. Their defenders are smitten with spears—

They who come as a tempest to smite And devour the afflicted with joy.

Thou hast trodden the sea with thy steeds;

Finite man in thy presence is weak.

Effect of the revelation upon the prophet (Habakkuk 3:16-19).

I heard the message, and fain would I tremble, Quivering seized me, beholding the vision, Courage departed, my bones lost their power, Terror and fear, at first, wellnigh o’ercame me.

Calmly and peaceful I wait, while destroyers Ruthlessly ravage the lands of my nation.

Yea, though the fig-tree put forth no new blossoms, Though on the vines no fresh fruitage is springing, Though the green olive rewards not the labor, Though the tilled fields do not yield a fair increase, Though the last flocks be destroyed in the sheep-folds, Though all we cherish be swept from our country Yet, as for me, glory I in Jehovah.

I will rejoice in Jehovah, my Saviour.

God is my strength, my delight, my defender;

He will uphold, will protect, will exalt me, Filling my soul with a joy never dying.