Habakkuk’s First Complaint
This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision: Nam 1:1Isa 22:1
How long, O LORD, must I call for help Psa 22:1-2Psa 13:1-2Lam 3:8Jer 14:9Psa 94:3Rev 6:10Psa 74:9-10
but You do not hear,
or cry out to You, “Violence!”
but You do not save?
Why do You make me see iniquity? Psa 55:9-11Ecc 5:8Jer 20:8Jer 9:2-6Mic 7:1-42Pe 2:8Ecc 4:1Ezk 2:6
Why do You tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me.
Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed, Isa 1:21-23Job 21:7Psa 119:126Psa 94:20-21Ezk 9:9Jer 12:1Isa 5:20Isa 59:13-15
and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
The LORD’s Answer
“Look at the nations and observe— Act 13:40-41Isa 29:14Lam 4:12Jer 5:12-13Isa 29:9Jer 18:18Jer 25:14-29Jer 9:25-26
be utterly astounded! 1
For I am doing a work in your days
that you would never believe
even if someone told you. 2
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans 3— 2Ki 24:22Ch 36:172Ch 36:6Jer 5:15Deu 28:49-52Isa 23:13Jer 25:9Jer 4:6
that ruthless and impetuous nation
which marches through the breadth of the earth
to seize dwellings not their own.
They are dreaded and feared; Jer 39:5-9Deu 5:19Deu 5:27Isa 18:7Jer 52:25-27Jer 52:9-11
from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty.
Their horses are swifter than leopards, Jer 4:13Zep 3:3Deu 28:49Ezk 17:3Hos 8:1Jer 5:6Ezk 17:12Isa 5:26-28
fiercer than wolves of the night.
Their horsemen charge ahead,
and their cavalry comes from afar.
They fly like a vulture,
swooping down to devour.
All of them come bent on violence; Jer 25:9Deu 28:51-52Ezk 17:10Ezk 19:12Gen 41:49Hab 1:6Hab 2:5-13Hos 1:10
their hordes advance like the east wind;
they gather prisoners like sand.
They scoff at kings 2Ch 36:62Ch 36:10Isa 14:16Jer 32:242Ki 24:122Ki 25:6-7Jer 33:4Jer 52:4-7
and make rulers an object of scorn.
They laugh at every fortress
and build up siege ramps to seize it.
Then they sweep by like the wind Dan 5:20Dan 4:30-34Dan 5:3-4Jer 4:11-12
and pass on through.
They are guilty;
their own strength is their god.”
Habakkuk’s Second Complaint
(Psalms 11:1–7)
Are You not from everlasting, Deu 32:4Psa 90:2Deu 33:27Jer 30:11Jer 46:28Psa 93:2Amo 9:8-9Ezk 30:25
O LORD, my God, my Holy One?
We will not die.
O LORD, You have appointed them
to execute judgment;
O Rock, You have established them
for correction.
Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, Psa 5:4-5Psa 34:15-16Jer 12:1-2Hab 1:3-4Pro 31:8-91Pe 1:15-162Sa 4:11Psa 10:15
and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
So why do You tolerate the faithless?
Why are You silent
while the wicked swallow up
those more righteous than themselves?
You have made men like the fish of the sea, Pro 6:7
like creeping things that have no ruler.
The foe pulls all of them up 4with a hook; Amo 4:2Jer 16:16Jhn 21:6-11Psa 10:9Ezk 25:6Ezk 26:2Ezk 29:4-5Ezk 35:15
he catches them in his dragnet,
and gathers them in his fishing net;
so he rejoices gladly.
Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet Dan 4:30Deu 8:17Ezk 28:3Hab 1:11Dan 5:23Ezk 29:3Isa 10:13-15Isa 37:24
and burns incense to his fishing net,
for by these things his portion is sumptuous
and his food is rich.
Will he, therefore, empty his net Ezk 25:1-17Hab 1:9-10Hab 2:17Hab 2:5-8Isa 14:16-17Isa 14:6Isa 19:8Jer 25:9-26
and continue to slay nations without mercy?