Discouragement 6 - Habakkuk's Song

We all know that David wrote fabulous songs that express every emotion known to mankind.

But…we don’t often talk about the magnificent song of praise written by the prophet Habakkuk at a time when he was facing overwhelming disasters in every area of his life. This is one of the most inspiring songs of faith found in the Word.

Habakkuk 1 begins with this cry:

2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "Violence!" And You will not save.

3 Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises.

4 Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.

The book of Habakkuk ends with this song in chapt. 3:

17 Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls--

18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19 The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer's feet,

And He will make me walk on my high hills.

To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.

As far as we know, there is no change in circumstances from Chapter One to Chapter Three. Habakkuk was transported from despondency to faith over the course of these three chapters.

Hab. 1:1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth = victorious music. A song with strong emotions. It literally means “to reel about through drink,” “composed with strong emotion, impassioned imagination,” “to play with an orchestra." This is also the title  also occurs in the title of Ps. 7.


Habakkuk knew he was in trouble, so he composed his song with passion, drive and lots of noise.

Here are a few interesting observations about the song:

• These depressing situations Habakkuk mentions all have something to do with food and drink (which give us physical strength). Each of these products are essential to the economy of the family, and to Israel’s economy—they also signify the blessing of God upon His obedient people.

In addition, the fig tree and the vine had spiritual significance, for they symbolized the blessing of God upon an obedient people (Hos. 2:12; Amos 4:9; 1Ki. 4:25; 2Ki. 18:31; Ps. 105:33; Is. 36:16; Jer. 5:17; 8:13; 31:12; Joel 2:19; Hag. 1:11)

We live in troubling times – our personal economies and the economy of our nation is in trouble. Habakkuk can see that provision is not coming from the usual sources, just like many families today. We need to turn our eyes on the Lord – He alone, has the answer for us, and He alone is our source for all provision.

• Habakkuk’s responses are all inner decisions “I will” 3:18

There are times when the strength and the answer has to come from deep within. We can get used to others encouraging us and lifting us up – real faith and strength have to be forged within our hearts.

• Habakkuk’s declaration of where his real inner strength comes from 3:19

“The Lord God is my strength”

• Habakkuk prophesies over himself 3:19 “He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.”

Once we have God’s word and direction for our lives, we need to speak over our own lives and prophecy His words as we watch them come to pass.

Ps. 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.

Ps. 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities

Ps. 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Look at what this joyful hope can do for us:

Ps. 4:7 You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased

Ps. 43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

Having hope in a hopeless situation is an indication that you understand God's ultimate plan for your life. What's happening to you TODAY is part of God's bigger plan. The magnitude of your hopeless situation is paralleled to the manifestation of the blessing you will receive IF you hold on and be steadfast and un-moveable.



Let's begin rejoicing now because we live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Finally – look at this one statement from v19:

The Lord God is my strength

All the parts of this song are in couplets/pairs – except this one concept.

Fig tree – fruit on the vines

Olive – field

Flock – herd

Rejoice in the Lord – joy in God

Then this: The Lord God is my strength

He then goes back to the couplets/pairs:

He will make my feet like deer's feet - And He will make me walk on my high hills

This focal statement - that the Lord is his strength - shouts all by itself. The songwriter has used the poetic form to proclaim the key to the entire song – the entire prophetic message of the book. He makes this statement stand out by isolating it in the middle of all those couplets – that gives it extra weight:

The Lord God is my strength!

My prayer is that this will also be our testimony in these difficult days. Let Habakkuk’s song resound inside you today.

Don't panic. I'm with you.

There's no need to fear for I'm your God.

I'll give you strength. I'll help you.

I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.
Is. 41:10 (Message)

Don't tell God you have a big problem

tell your problem you have a big God!

Anon 

Discouragement 1: Here

Some thoughts on suffering: HERE

Discouragement 5 - Habakkuk The Singing Prophet

If anyone had good reason to be discouraged it was the prophet Habakkuk. Habakkuk lived during a time of national upheaval (shortly before 600 B.C.) There was great social injustice (Hab. 1:2-4); unrighteousness among God's people - Judah; the Babylonians were threatening to attack (Hab. 1:5-11); God did not seem to be answering His people and they felt that the Lord was sending the evil Babylonians as punishment for their sins (Hab. 1:5-11).

This little prophetic book differs from other Old Testament prophecies in that instead of the prophet bringing God's word to the people, Habakkuk takes the cry of the people to the Lord. This is a very different kind of prophecy, and a vert different kind of prophet.

There is no biographical information on the prophet Habakkuk; in fact less is known about him than any other writer of the Bible.

Although his name does not appear in any other part of the Jewish Bible, Rabbinic tradition holds Habakkuk to be the Shunammite woman's son - the one who was restored to life by Elisha in 2Kings 4:16, since Elisha told her, "At this season next year you shall embrace (habaq) a son."

Habaq means “embrace” or, an "ardent embrace." At the end of his book this name becomes appropriate because Habakkuk chooses to cling firmly to (embrace) God regardless of what happened to his nation — 3:16-19 (Expanded Open Bible). Jerome suggested that the name indicated embracing so as to wrestle, "because he wrestled with God." Martin Luther said, "in this little book we see a man, in deadly earnest, wrestling with the mighty problem of theodicy (the divine justice) in a topsy-turvy world."

In the midst of this difficult world, Habakkuk, wrestled with God and pushed into Him for answers. Even though he was full of doubt he took his distress and doubts about God to God Himself.

Here is Habakkuk's strategy:

1. Wait and listen to what God has to say Hab. 2:1-3

I will climb up into my watchtower now and wait to see what the Lord will say to me and how he will answer my complaint.
Then the Lord said to me, "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else

But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. (NLT)

Ps. 37:7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

(Rom. 8:25; 15:4)

It is important to wait patiently, to wait in hope. Hope gives you endurance in the waiting

2. Write a praise song

I will talk about Habakkuk's song tomorrow.

Yesterday, we saw the importance of the big words "BUT GOD" as the Lord intervened in the suffering of David and his men.

Today we see the courage of the prophet Habakkuk as he confronted a seemingly hopeless situation with the words YET WILL I REJOICE IN THE LORD...

What an example Habakkuk has shown us! In the midst of extreme circumstances, Habakkuk chose to worship.

3. Abide in the Lord's strength, for His sovereign and perfect will is coming to pass (3:16-19)

Here are the life-giving truths Habakkuk's story teaches us about faith:

a) Such a great God can be trusted to accomplish His purposes with all nations and peoples, and in all circumstances no matter how difficult.

b) We must allow God to be God, and allow Him to do things His way and in His own good time.
Our job is to trust Him and live by faith! "The righteous will live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4) - the key verse of this entire book. Some versions use the word "faithfulness".: Although things do not always turn out as we would like, yet we will rejoice in the Lord anyway!

Habakkuk has been called the prophet of faith. He possessed a strong, living faith in the Lord - even though he was troubled and perplexed by the apparent inequalities of life. Nevertheless, he did not sulk. He boldly presented his questions to God, who then pointed the way to a solution. The prophet came through his trouble with a faith stronger and more intense than ever.

"The growth of faith from perplexity and doubt to the height of absolute trust is one of the beautiful aspects of the book. Its lesson is for all time!"

(Homer Hailey).

c) Stay faithful - or filled with faith - integrity, fidelity, steadfastness under all provocations. 

We find this faith echoed in Gal. 3:11 – a living faith that determines how we live and believe; a living faith that sustains us in trouble and causes us to have moral fiber when we are tested. As an expression of living faith, Hab. 3:17-19 is not surpassed in the OT.

It is in this place of faith that you are sustained and strengthened.

Having faith in God also means we have to trust His timing and the instruments He uses to see us through.

God is the hero of this book, and the champion in Habakkuk's song of faith.

Discouragement 1: HERE
Discouragement 6: HERE