Habakkuk 3:1  “…prayer of Habakkuk…on Shigionoth…I have heard Your speech and was afraid…In wrath remember mercy”
New prayer or actually a song of Habakkuk.  Will be more of praise than the earlier questioning.  Commentaries aren’t sure about the meaning of Shigionoth.  May be descriptive of the type of praise song.  At any rate, he has heard and understood what God answered regarding his earlier prayer.  God is going to use the Babylonians to judge Israel, but He will then judge them.  He won’t leave Israel alone to her oppressors, He will take care of her.  This disturbs Habakkuk, but will also give him hope, renewed faith in God.

11  “…sun and moon stood still in their habitation…”
For Joshua.  He is recalling God’s providential protection and help to Israel over the years since He brought them out of Egypt.

16  “When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, That I might rest in the day of trouble.  When he comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops.”
He was greatly afraid when he heard what was going to happen.  But He chose instead to be more afraid of God and His wrath than the Babylonians.  Repentance and trust.  This will allow him to withstand the day of trouble.  He knows what is coming.

17-18  “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—Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
What most people preach on when they use Habakkuk.  His resolution to trust God no matter what happens, even in the face of destruction.  Something of an appendix or benediction to the song.  Yet, I will rejoice.  We must come to the understanding that God is worthy of our praise because of who He is, not because of anything He does.  We can be thankful and praise Him when He does great things for us, but He is still due our praise even when He doesn’t.  Such a freeing revelation.  No more tied to circumstances.  Don’t always feel joyful or like praising, but that’s the point.  I can now do it anyway, regardless of how it feels.  Stand with the truth, no matter what.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word.  May it accomplish what He desires.  Please feel free to comment or post questions.  Thanks for reading!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.