^{The 
Habakkuk
 Hymn}

Tune: Aurelia (The Church's One Foundation/ Facing a Task Unfinished)

 I hear, my body trembles;

Lips quiver at the news;

my bones decay within me

My legs beneath do shake.

Yet a day of judgment beckons-

For this I quietly wait.

Those who invade and ravage

His wrath they won’t escape.

 Though fig trees do not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the olive trees yield nothing

no grain come from the fields,

the flock all cut off from th’ fold,

no herd left in the stalls,

 yet in the LORD I will r’joice;

My Saviour’ll be my joy.

Jeremy Fowler 9 August 2014

On that night, as I pondered the reign of terror spreading in Iraq, I longed to set to music Habakkuk 3:16-18, since it is Habakkuk's song, given by God, to a prophet who was coming to terms with the imminent invasion of the people of Judah by the Babylonians.

Fitting the words to the 76 76 Double metre meant forcing the words a little, but I trust it will be of use.  Hopefully someone can do a better job than I have done.

Modern worship leaders tend to force us to sing happy songs.  Clearly, Christian praise must be marked by joy.  But here in Hab 3, our hearts are led through a journey to joy- beginning with utter terror, and only later reaching a quiet, hopeful joy.  With songs like this, suffering and perplexed people in our churches will feel they can join in the worship, rather than zone out and think 'these guys just aren't connecting with me'.
A friend called Nick Mott also came up with a song from the same passage- using my friend Gerv's version of the words.  https://soundcloud.com/motty/habakkuk-hymn
More contemporary in feel- let's keep experimenting to move people on in their devotion to the Lord!