Jehovah, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee, Violence! and thou dost not save.

Wherefore wilt thou cause me to see vanity and cause me to look at labor? and oppression and violence before me, and there will be contention, and strife will be raised up.

For this, the law will be slack, and judgment will not go forth forever: for the unjust surrounds the just; for this perverted judgment will go forth.

See ye among the nations, and behold, and wonder marvellously; for I work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be declared to you.

For lo, I will raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and swift people: which shall go as wide as the land is, to take possession of dwelling places that be not their own.

Then, swifter than leopards, are his horses, and, more sharply they attack, than evening wolves, and forward have leapt his chargers, - Yea, his chargers, from afar, will come in, they will fly as an eagle hath hastened to devour.

Solely for violence, will he come, the intent of their faces, is - To the east! And he hath gathered, as the sand, a captive host;

And, he, over kings, will make merry, and, nobles, will be a scorn to him: he, at any fortress, will laugh, once he hath heaped up dust, he hath captured it!

Then will his mind change, and he will pass on, and become guilty: this his power is become his +god.

Are You not from everlasting,
O Lord, my God, my Holy One?
We will not die.
You, O Lord, have appointed them to judge;
And You, O Rock, have established them to correct.

Being pure of eyes from beholding evil, and wilt not be able to look upon labor: wherefore wilt thou look upon the transgressors? wilt thou be silent in the unjust swallowing the just above him?

And wilt thou make man as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping thing no ruler over him?

And he brought up a completion with the book, he will drag him in his net, and he will gather him in his fishnet: for this he will rejoice and be glad.

For this he will sacrifice to his net and burn incense to his fish-net; for by them his portion fat and his food. growing fat

Is he to continue to empty his fishing net? Will he ever stop killing entire nations without mercy?"

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer as to my reproof.

And Jehovah will answer me and say, Write the vision, and grave upon the tablets, so that he shall run reading in it

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but it hasteth to the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; for it will surely come, it will not delay.

"Notice their arrogance they have no inward uprightness but the righteous will live by their faith.

Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man! His appetite is as big as Sheol's; like death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations; he seizes all peoples.

"Will not all of these ridicule him with mocking scorn? They will say, "Woe to the one who hordes for himself what isn't his. How long will you enrich yourself by extortion?'

Will not thy creditors, suddenly rise up? and they who shall violently shake thee, all at once become active? Then shalt thou serve for booties, unto them!

Because you plundered many nations, all of their remnants will plunder you. Human blood has been shed, and violence has been done to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it."

Your schemes will bring shame to your house. Because you destroyed many nations, you will self-destruct.

Indeed, the stone will cry out from the wall and the rafter will respond from the woodwork."

Be sure of this! The Lord who commands armies has decreed: The nations' efforts will go up in smoke; their exhausting work will be for nothing.

Indeed, the earth will be filled with knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as water fills the sea."

You are filled with dishonor instead of glory. So go ahead, drink and be naked! The LORD will turn against you, and utter disgrace will debase your reputation.

Indeed, the violence done to Lebanon will overtake you, and the destruction of the beasts will terrorize you because you shed human blood and did violence to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it."

What help then will the Image do, whom the workman hath fashioned? Or the vain cast Image, wherein because the craftsmen putteth his trust, therefore maketh he dumb Idols?

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, set to wild and enthusiastic music.

O Yahweh, I have heard tidings of thee, I am afraid. O Yahweh! Thy work - in the midst of the years, O revive it, in the midst of the years, wilt thou make known? In trouble, wilt thou remember, compassion?

God will come from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran Silence. His majesty covered the heavens, and his praise filled the earth.

And the brightness will be as the light; horns to him from his hand; and he set the hiding of his strength.

Before his face shall go the word, and a flame will go forth at his feet.

He stood, and he will measure the earth: he saw, and he will cause the nations to tremble, and the mountains of eternity will be dispersed, the perpetual hills bowed down: the goings everlasting to him.

Against the rivers, is Yahweh wroth? Against the rivers, is thine anger? Against the sea, is thine indignation? For thou wilt ride on Thy horses, Thy chariots, shall be salvation!

In nakedness thou shalt raise thy bow, the oaths of the tribes, he said. Silence. Thou wilt divide the earth with rivers.

The sun, the moon stood in her habitation: at the light of thine arrows they will go, at the shining of the lightning of thy spear.

In wrath thou wilt march through the land in anger, thou wilt thresh the nations

Thou didst pierce with rods the head of the leader: they will rush on as a tempest to scatter me their exultation as to devour the poor in secret

I heard and I trembled within. My lips quivered at the noise. My legs gave way beneath me, and I trembled. Nevertheless, I await the day of distress that will dawn on our invaders.

as for me, I will rejoice in the LORD. I will find my joy in the God who delivers me.

The LORD God is my strength he will make my feet like those of a deer, equipping me to tread on my mountain heights. For the choir director: On my stringed instruments.