By Rev. Rachel Sutphin
This is week four of a four week series titled “Habakkuk: A Prophet for 2025.” View the rest of the series as it’s published by clicking on the Habakkuk 2025 Prophet tag.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
–Habakkuk 3:19
Take a moment to envision the cover of your autobiography. What is the title? What is the image?
That is how we started my Bible study group’s last day on Habakkuk. I passed out a black and white clipart image of a book, and they created an image and a title for their autobiography. Looking at these covers, we talked about the moments in our lives that define us and the themes we see appearing again and again. Some focused on familial relationships. Others focused on careers or cross-country moves. We noticed the similarities and differences in our stories, that which connects us and that which makes us unique.
The last chapter of Habakkuk is Habakkuk’s sung summary of his people and their life with God. It’s an autobiography of Israel set to music. Habakkuk remembers and tells their story in order to remind the people that the current chaos is only one part of a larger narrative. Likewise, we are invited to place our story in the larger collection of all God’s people, seeing how God is both intimately know-able and vastly universal.
Background
“He who sings, prays twice.”
Saint Augustine of Hippo1
Song has long been a part of Judeo-Christian individual and communal worship practices. In song, we use metaphors, melodies, and rhythm to communicate the deep longings of our soul that are often difficult to put into words. In song, we tell our story.
While the Book of Psalms contains the majority of melodies, there are other songs scattered throughout the Bible– the songs of Miriam, Deborah, Zechariah, and Mary for example. From this, we can conclude that singing was an essential part of worship and faith. Additionally, these songs cover a variety of topics– from victorious battles to asking God to uplift the lowly, from praises of kings to calling for their downfall. No topic is off limits. What unites the songs is that there is always a mention of the past. There is always a looking back in order to understand the future.2
We sing to express joy and sorrow, love and hate (just check out Taylor Swift’s wide collection). Yet, singing isn’t always cute children’s choirs and awkward open mic nights. Singing can also be revolutionary. Reformer John Hus sang “Jesus Christ, Have Mercy on Me” while being burned at the stake in 1415. Later, sixteen Carmelites were killed during the French Revolution in 1794 while singing the Laudate Dominum (Psalm 116). And recently, in 2011, Ibrahim Qashoush was murdered during the Syrian Civil War for composing and singing songs like, “How Sweet is Freedom.”
When Habakkuk concludes his prophecy with a song, he is both telling the story of his people and invoking a revolution. Habakkuk acknowledges the pain in front of him– both the pain of his people’s disobedience and the coming terror of the Babylonians– and his response is grounded in his faith and a call to return to God.
Habakkuk 3– Singing the Story
“A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.”
Habakkuk 3:1
Habakkuk 3 begins by setting the scene, telling the back up band what key to tune their instruments to and how to prepare for the song ahead. But, what in the world is a shigionoth? There are two leading ideas of what “shigionoth” may mean based on its Hebrew root word. The song is either a lamenting dirge or a frenzied emotional expression. Either way, the opening verse tells us that this will be an emotionally charged piece, which I think is to be expected given that Habakkuk has just heard a whole lot from God.
As isn’t uncommon in song, chapter 3 contains many metaphors and illusions. First, Habakkuk describes God as coming from Teman and Mount Paran. Of course, Habakkuk is not literally saying that God was born in one of these two places. Instead, these places are symbolic. “Teman” means south and is known as a place of wisdom. Teman is associated with the people descending from Esau (Gen. 36:15). On the other hand, Mount “Paran” means place of glory and is associated both with the Israelites wandering in the wilderness and Ishamel (Gen. 21:21). Put together, Habakkuk is saying that God came from wisdom and glory, and is among the outcasts (i.e. Esau, wandering Israelites, and Ishmael). God is among the outcasts: this is quite a revolutionary statement to start with! Habakkuk is quick to claim both the glory of the Lord and God’s concern with the lowly.
From there, Habakkuk draws on the past, mentioning the Exodus plagues (v.5) and quoting Moses’s song and Psalm 46 (v.6-7). Habakkuk invites the listener in with a series of rhetorical questions in verses 8-10 that wonder whether God is angry at earth’s water. The answer is “of course not,” and Habakkuk lifts up examples of God’s power and nature’s cooperation (in contrast to human reluctance). This vivid imagery brings up memories of the Hebrews crossing the Red Sea (Ex.14:16), Moses splitting a rock to bring forth water in the wilderness (Ex.17:6), and the River Kishon sweeping Deborah’s rivals away (Jud. 5:21). Habakkuk continues on, referencing Joshua 10:12-14 (v.11) and using cosmic imagery to talk about what God has done (v.12-15).
So far, Habakkuk’s song has been a reflection on the past. He is blending in themes from the songs of Moses, Deborah, and David. He is remembering stories of trials and redemptions. At verse 16, Habakkuk shifts to place himself within the context of the larger story. He says he’s still scared, especially now that he knows, in detail, what is coming, but he is also committed to sticking around with God. He is going to wait with God. He doesn’t abandon his fear, but he also has trust alongside it, believing that God will get him through this.
Even when they have lost everything– no food, no money– Habakkuk says he will rejoice and find joy in God (v. 18) because Habakkuk knows that his relationship with God isn’t based on what we get, but on who God is. Furthermore, Habakkuk is going to run like a deer, on the move for God. Unlike the Babylonians with their idols, Habakkuk claims God as his god alone, and he isn’t afraid to proclaim it, even on the highest mountain tops (v.19). He is with God and God’s larger story.
So, if we put the verbs together, Habakkuk will wait on God, Habakkuk will rejoice in God, and Habakkuk will run with God.
Application to 2025
Habakkuk concludes by reminding the people of their history and asking God to be equally active in their story. The irony of “Make America Great Again” is that there is this idea of returning to some idealized past, while also erasing and editing history, especially marginalized narratives. Habakkuk is an essential prophet for 2025 because he emphasizes the importance of taking a true look at both history and the present and entering into a conversation with God about what still needs to be redeemed.
Like Habakkuk, we must practice honest remembering. This means telling the whole story– both the victories and the failures, the moments of glory and the times of exile. In 2025, when misinformation, revisionist history, and denial of systemic injustice are rampant, Habakkuk reminds us that God does not call us to remember the past for nostalgia, but for bold truth-telling. Only in truth can mercy and justice meet. Only in truth can we offer reparations and alter our current actions.
Habakkuk’s final song is also a reminder that joy does not come only from abundance or external circumstances. In fact, there is a deeper joy that we find in our faith that is revolutionary and sacred. In a time when many feel worn down by economic uncertainty, political polarization, and many anxieties, Habakkuk offers us a faithful option: resilience that is rooted in truthful joy, not denial or reckless living. Habakkuk calls us to stick with it– stick to telling the Good News with our words and actions. In claiming our joy, we resist despair and shallow optimism, remembering that the God of our ancestors is with us in every season.
And so, with Habakkuk, we put on our “deer feet” that carry us to difficult, high, and even dangerous places. We keep on moving, keep on working for justice with compassion. We show up for our neighbors. We advocate for those who have been silenced. We stay rooted in solidarity with marginalized communities. All the while, we sing our revolutionary song, “the Sovereign Lord is my strength.”
Reflection Questions
- Habakkuk turns to scripture for courage and inspiration. What verses and passages give us hope?
- How does placing our story (our joys, fears, sorrows, and struggles) in the larger narrative of God’s people, help us to see where and how God is on the move?
Prayer Practice
Listen to “Daughters of Zion” by the Porter’s Gate. Journal about what imagery sticks with you. Ask God what is the revolutionary song God is writing on your heart.
Joining with Habakkuk out, we cry, “How long?” How long will the oppressors win? How long will apathy reign? How long will your people twist your words? Draw close to us, Lord. Hear our cries. Weep with us. We trust that you are always near, and we especially need to feel your presence with us today. Amen.
Footnotes:
1. While this quote is frequently attributed to Saint Augustine, I could not find any textual citations.
2. Consider the hymn “Revive Thy Works, O Lord” by Albert Midlane, which reflects on the KJV translation of Habakkuk 3:2
Rachel Sutphin (she/her) has served as Pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Hammonton (NJ) since 2024. She deeply resonates with the church’s history and identity of community outreach and mission with underserved populations. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys kayaking, reading, playing clarinet, and embroidery.
