For lo, I raise up

For lo, I raise up that bitter and hasty nation, which march thro’ the breadth of the earth, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.
They are terrible and dreadful, their judgement and their dignity proceed from themselves.
Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the ev’ning wolves, and their horsemen spread themselves yea, their horsemen come from far.
They fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour, they come all of them for violence; their faces are set as the east wind, and they gather captives as the sand.
Yea, he scoffeth at kings and princes are a derision unto him.
For he heapeth up dust and taketh it.
Then shall he sweep by as a wind that shall pass over and be guilty, even he whose might is his God.
Art not thou from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One?
We shall not die.
O Lord, thou hast ordained him for judgement and thou, O rock, hast established him for correction.
I will stand upon my watch and set me upon the tower and look forth to see what he will say to me and what I shall answer concerning my complaint.
And the Lord answered me and said:
The vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end and shall not lie; tho’ it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
Habakkuk 1: 6-12; 2: 1-3, 14, 20, adapted