Chapter 3

¹ A Prayer of the Prophet Ambacum, with a Song.

² O Lord, I have heard thy report, and was afraid: I considered thy works, and was amazed: thou shalt be known between the two living creatures, thou shalt be acknowledged when the years draw nigh; thou shalt be manifested when the time is come; when my soul is troubled, thou wilt in wrath remember mercy.

³ God shall come from Thæman, and the Holy One from the dark shady mount Pharan. ¹Pause. ⁴ His excellence covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness shall be as light; there were horns in his hands, and he caused a mighty love of his strength. ⁵ Before his face shall go a report, and it shall go forth into the plains, ⁶ the earth stood at his feet and trembled: he beheld, and the nations melted away: the mountains were violently burst through, the everlasting hills melted at his everlasting going forth. ⁷ Because of troubles I looked upon the tents of the Ethiopians: the tabernacles also of the land of Madiam shall be dismayed.

⁸ Wast thou angry, O Lord, with the rivers? or was thy wrath against the rivers, or thine ²anger against the sea? for thou wilt mount on thine horses, and thy chariots are salvation. ⁹ Surely thou didst bend they bow at scepters, saith the Lord. Pause. The land of rivers shall be torn asunder. ¹⁰ The nations shall see thee and be in pain, as thou dost divide the ³moving waters: the deep uttered her voice, and raised ⁴her form on high. ¹¹ The sun was exalted, and the moon stood still in her course: thy darts shall go forth at the light, at the brightness of the gleaming of thine arms. ¹² Thou wilt bring low the land with threatening, and in wrath thou wilt break down the nations. ¹³ Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, to save thine anointed: thou shalt bring death on the heads of transgressors; thou has brought bands upon their neck. Pause. ¹⁴ Thou didst cut asunder the heads of princes with amazement, they shall tremble in it; they shall burst their bridles, they shall be as a poor man devouring in secret. ¹⁵ And thou dost cause thine horses to enter the sea, disturbing much water.

¹⁶ I watched, and my belly trembled at the sound of the prayer of my lips, and trembling entered into my bones, and my frame was troubled ⁵within me; I will rest in the day of affliction, from going up to the people of my sojourning.

¹⁷ For though the fig-tree shall bear no fruit, and there shall be no produce on the vines; the labour of the olive shall ⁶fail, and the fields shall produce no food: the sheep have failed from the pasture, and there are no oxen at the cribs; ¹⁸ yet I will exult in the Lord, I will joy in God my Saviour. ¹⁹ The Lord God is my strength, and he will perfectly strengthen my feet; he mounts me upon high places, that I may conquer by his song.

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