Habakkuk 3:18
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Study Note
Study Note
Habakkuk's declaration 'yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation' follows the most sustained catalog of agricultural catastrophe in prophetic literature (v. 17: no fig blossoms, no grapes, no olives, no cattle) — making the 'yet' the single most load-bearing word in the book. The adversative 'yet' (wa'ani) introduces a disposition of counter-factual trust that refuses to ground theological confidence in material prosperity, anticipating Paul's 'contentment in all circumstances' (Philippians 4:11–13). The title 'God of my salvation' (Elohei yish'i) deploys personal possessive grammar to emphasize relational specificity in the midst of impersonal catastrophe. The verse became a touchstone for Reformed theology's emphasis on grace over circumstance and is widely used in pastoral contexts of material suffering.
Other Translations
Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Yet I, in Jehovah I exult, I do joy in the God of my salvation.
Still, I will be glad in the Lord, my joy will be in the God of my salvation.
Cross References
The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will …
But thou must eat them before the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, …
And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth …
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me …
Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt …
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and …
Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear …
And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their …
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,