Habakkuk 3:17-19

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV): “17  Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,18  yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19  God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.”

The praise of God should be rooted in His personhood, not in our circumstances. Therefore, we praise God in all things because He is worthy—regardless of what we are experiencing.

Habakkuk understands the coming fate of Judah. He sees the end result of the land after the Babylonian captivity: the fields are barren, the people are shaken, and yet he declares, “I will rejoice in the LORD.” Notice that his joy is not circumstantial. His joy is anchored in the Lord Himself and in God’s mighty ability to save. He praises God despite his circumstances.

Do you praise God in both the sunshine and the shadow? Do you rejoice in the personhood of God in spite of what is happening around you? God is worthy no matter what is going on in our lives. When we praise Him in the storm, it takes our eyes off the waves and fixes them back on Him. Make it a practice to praise Him in all things—He is worthy of it. And it will benefit you greatly to remember who He is. Amen?

Father, all glory, honor, and praise belong to You. You are mighty and wonderful, and You deserve the utmost glory from both our lips and our lives. No matter what we face, You are good. We surrender to Your will and trust You completely. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.