Habakkuk’s Trust in Yahweh (Habakkuk 3:16-19)

Habakkuk knows that Yahweh is going to use the Babylonians to punish Judah, that their invasion of Judah is going to bring widespread suffering for his people, and he also knows that God is going to subsequently punish the Babylonians. How should he respond?

I heard and my heart pounded,
    my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
    and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
    to come on the nation invading us.
¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in Yahweh,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

¹⁹ The Sovereign Yahweh is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

Habbakuk does not need to pretend that he is okay with all that is happening. He is terrified and dismayed. The day of calamity will be hard to endure. But at the same time he has heard from Yahweh and he trusts in Yahweh. He will be patient awaiting the day of calamity because he knows it is part of Yahweh’s plan.

Yes, the invasion will destroy the fig, grape and olive crops and the yield of harvest; it will result in the death of many sheep and cattle. But Habakkuk will rejoice in Yahweh and find joy in Him, because His plan is good. He will find strength in his sovereign Lord and the ability to find his way like the mountain deer despite the difficulty of the terrain.

It is the confidence of all believers that God is with us in the midst of suffering, and His mercy is everlasting. We can have joy even in sorrow and pain. Like Habakkuk, we can cast all our care upon Him because He cares for us.