Song Story – "Habakkuk's Prayer"

This song has to have the most interesting title on the whole album. For a long time I have been fascinated by Habakkuk’s prayer at the end of his book. We all know we’re supposed to have joy in our trials, but when the pain is so strong, the last thing we want to do is rejoice. It’s in these situations I want my heart and mind to be informed by Scripture, not my own mind dictating my response.

This song was birthed directly out of a painful physical battle. To this day, I am still not fully healed, but I am awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promise for me.

Habakkuk’s prayer in 3:17-19 lists his own struggle with the promise of God’s justice. I almost decided against writing this song because the struggle of Habakkuk seemed irrelevant to today – fig trees, fruit, the produce of olives, flocks, herds – not your everyday prayer request.

But then I was confronted with this truth: if we dismiss parts of the Bible as irrelevant, we are in danger of deciding for ourselves what to apply and what not to apply.

I wrote this song mainly word for word from the ESV translation of the Bible, and added a few of my own struggles through this difficult time. Each line has significant meaning for me personally. I was feeling the ‘the pain of loss’ as a worship leader unable to sing, a musician unable to play an instrument, and a leader unable to lead due to health problems.

This is a song I go back to when the pain is strong and God feels far away. “I will take joy in the God of my salvation!”

Though the fig tree should not blossom
Nor fruit be on the vines
Though the produce of the olive fail
And the fields should yield no food
Though the flock be cut off from the fold
And their be no herd in the stalls
Though justice seems so far away
I know that I am yours
Yes, I am yours

And I will rejoice
I will rejoice in the Lord
I will rejoice
I will take joy in the God of my salvation
I will rejoice

Though weakness be my only state
And the pain of loss so strong
Though I don’t understand your ways
I know I’m held in your arms
And this will be my song

You are my strength, O Sovereign Lord
You make my feet just like the deer
You enable my heart to tread the mountains
You bring hope, You are hope