Book 35 of 39 in the Old Testament — Trusting God amid injustice.
Habakkuk is structured as a dialogue between the prophet and God, opening with Habakkuk's honest complaint about the injustice he sees around him going unpunished. God's answer — that he will use Babylon to bring judgment — only raises harder questions about using a wicked nation to punish Judah. The book ends with Habakkuk choosing to trust God even without full understanding, declaring he will rejoice in God regardless of circumstances. Its central line, ‘the righteous will live by faith,’ is quoted three times in the New Testament.
“O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!”King James Version
Habakkuk cries out to God, asking how long injustice will go unanswered.
“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”King James Version
The righteous will live by faith, a line quoted three times in the New Testament.
“For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”King James Version
The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”King James Version
Even if the crops fail, Habakkuk will rejoice in the God of his salvation.
“The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”King James Version
The Lord is Habakkuk's strength, making his feet like the feet of a deer.