¶ A prayer of the prophet Abacuc for the ignoraunce. O LORD, when I heard speak of thee, I was afraid. The work thou hast taken in hand, shalt thou perform in his time, O LORD: and when thy time cometh, thou shalt declare it. In thy very wrath thou thinkest upon mercy.
¶ God cometh from Theman, and the holy one from the mount of Pharan. Sela. His glory covereth the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise. His shine is as the sun, and beams of light go out of his hands, there is his power hid. Destruction goeth before him, and burning cressettes go from his feet. He stondeth, and measureth the earth. He looketh, and the people consume away, the mountains of the world fall down to powder, and the hills are fain to bow themselves, for his goings are everlasting and sure. I saw, that the pavilions of the Morians and the tents of the land of Madian were vexed for weariness. Wast thou not angry, O LORD, in the waters? was not thy wrath in the floods, and thy displeasure in the sea? Yes, when thou satest upon thine horse, and when thy chariots had the victory. Thou shewdest thy bow openly, like as thou hadst promised with an oath unto the tribes. Selah. Thou didst divide the waters of the earth. When the mountains saw thee, they were afraid, the water stream went away: the deep made a noise at the lifting up of thine hand. The Sun and Moon remained still in their habitation. Thine arrows went out glistering, and thy spears as the shine of the lightning. Thou trodest down the land in thine anger, and didst throshe the Heathen in thy displeasure. Thou camest forth to help thy people, to help thine anointed. Thou smotest down the head in the house of the ungodly, and discoveredest his foundations, even unto the neck of him. Selah. Thou cursest his scepters, the captain of his men of war: which come as a stormy wind to scatter me abroad, and are glad when they may eat up the poor secretly. Thou makest a way for thine horses in the sea, even in the mud of great waters.
¶ When I hear this, my body is vexed, my lips tremble at the voice thereof, my bones corrupt, I am afraid where I stond. O that I might rest in the day of trouble, that I might go up unto our people, which are already prepared. For the fig trees shall not be green, and the vines shall bear no fruit. The labour of the olive shall be but lost, and the land shall bring no corn: the sheep shall be taken out of the fold, and there shall be no cattle in the stalls. But as for me, I will be glad in the LORD, and will rejoice in God my Saviour. The LORD God is my strength, he shall make my feet as the feet of harts: and he which giveth the victory, shall bring me to my high places, singing upon my psalms.