Habakkuk 3:16
“When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Overwhelmed by the vision, Habakkuk trembles to his core, yet resolves to wait quietly for the day of trouble to fall on the invader.
What Does Habakkuk 3:16 Mean?
The vision shakes the prophet bodily. His insides quiver, his lips tremble at the sound, weakness enters his very bones — he is undone by the awesome word of God. And yet, in the same breath, he chooses rest: he will wait quietly for the day of trouble to come upon the nation that invades.
This is the pivot of the chapter and of Habakkuk's whole journey. He does not stop trembling because the danger has passed; he learns to rest while still trembling. Fear and faith are present together, but faith decides the posture. He will quietly trust God's timing rather than be paralyzed by dread. Here is a model for our own fearful days: even when God's truth overwhelms us and trouble looms, we can choose, in the midst of trembling, to rest in the One who holds the day of trouble in His hands.
In the Original Language
nuach (נוּחַ), 'rest' — to settle, be still, find quiet repose; the rest Habakkuk chooses even as he trembles.