Every post in Habakkuk, in order. Tap a post for the whole conversation, or the book icon for the verses.
How long, LORD? I keep shouting for help and you don’t listen. I keep crying “Violence!” and you don’t save anyone. Why make me watch all this? Fighting everywhere. The law’s gone limp, and justice never wins.
How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save? Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
Replying to @habakkuk
He answered. Look round at the nations and be amazed, he said. I’m doing something in your days you wouldn’t believe even if you were told. I’m raising up the Babylonians.
“Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.
Round two. LORD, you’re from everlasting. My God, my Holy One. Your eyes are too pure to look at evil. So why do you put up with the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow people better than them?
Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction. Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
Replying to @habakkuk
He treats people like fish. Hauls them in with hooks and nets, then burns incense to his net, because the net made him rich.
You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler. The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly. Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich.
Going up on the wall to keep watch. I’m going to see what he says to me, and what I’ll say back when I’m put right.
I 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.
He answered. Write the vision down. Make it plain on tablets, so someone can read it at a run. It’s waiting for its time. If it seems slow, wait for it. It will come, and it won’t be late.
Then the LORD answered me: “Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it. For 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.
Look at the proud one. He isn’t right inside. But the one who is right with God will live by faith.
Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—
They’ll all be mocking him in the end. The one who piles up what isn’t his. The one who builds his house on dishonest money, to put his nest up high out of harm’s way. The stones in the wall will cry out, and the beams will answer them.
Will 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?’ Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster! You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life. For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork.
The earth will be filled with knowing the glory of the LORD, the way the waters cover the sea.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
Same line closes Isaiah’s picture of the wolf and the lamb.
Isaiah@isaiahThe wolf will live with the lamb. The leopard will lie down with the young goat. Calf and lion together, and a little child leading them. A toddler playing by a cobra’s hole.
Nothing will hurt or destroy on all the LORD’s holy mountain, because the earth will be as full of knowing the LORD as the sea is full of water.For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
What use is an idol? Somebody carves it, then trusts the thing he made. Disaster for anyone who says to a block of wood, “Wake up!” Covered in gold and silver, and not a breath inside it.
What 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. Woe 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.”
But the LORD is in his holy temple. Let the whole earth be silent before him.
But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.
LORD, I’ve heard what you’ve done, and I’m in awe. Do it again in our day. Make it known in our time. And when you’re angry, remember mercy.
O 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!
Wrote a prayer-song about God coming out like in the old days. The mountains saw him and shook. The deep roared. The sun and moon stood still.
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth. The mountains saw You and quaked; torrents of water swept by. The deep roared with its voice and lifted its hands on high. Sun and moon stood still in their places at the flash of Your flying arrows, at the brightness of Your shining spear.
Sun and moon standing still. Gibeon, in Joshua’s day.
Joshua son of Nun@joshua · GibeonSun, stand still over Gibeon. Moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.Sun and moon stood still in their places at the flash of Your flying arrows, at the brightness of Your shining spear.
I heard it and my insides churned. My lips were shaking. My legs gave way under me. And I’ll wait quietly for the day of trouble to come on the people invading us.
I 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.
Even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom and there are no grapes on the vine. Even if the olive crop fails and the fields grow nothing. Even if the sheep pens are empty and there are no cattle in the stalls. I will still be glad in the LORD. I will still rejoice in the God who saves me.
Though 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, yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!
Replying to @habakkuk
The Lord GOD is my strength. He makes my feet like a deer’s, and he lets me walk on the heights.
GOD 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.