Hab.3:1-3 – A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth.

O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid;

O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years!

In the midst of the years make it known;

In wrath remember mercy.

God came from Teman,

The Holy One from Mount Paran.

Selah

His glory covered the heavens,

And the earth was full of His praise.

Habakkuk uses a very rare and mysterious phrase when he refers to the prophetic song that ends his book. He uses the term Shigianoth which is only seen one other time being found in David’s Psalm 7. I found two descriptions of Shigianoth, one in Eastman’s Bible Dictionary and one In Jack Hayford’s comments in the Spirit Filled Life Bible. Check out what they had to say.

Eastman’s

“from the verb shagah, “to reel about through drink,” occurs in the title of Ps. 7. The plural form, shigionoth, is found in Hab. 3:1. The word denotes a lyrical poem composed under strong mental emotion; a song of impassioned imagination accompanied with suitable music; a dithyrambic ode.”

Hayford

“A musical notation probably indicating that the song is to be sung with emotion and a sense of victory.This stands in contrast with the note of doom that characterizes the woes of Hab. 2.”

Hayford noted that this was a musical prophecy, indicating that it would be sung spontaneously because of its prophetic nature. Eastman’s Dictionary describes it has a song with an intoxicated nature about it. Apparently this is a prophetic song sung in an intoxicated state brought on by the Holy Spirit. If you want to get literal, the word shigianoth means to wander about. A wandering, joyful, prophetic song would be a great description.

So now let’s put these thoughts together, Habakkuk is describing a prophecy that is sung spontaneously and wanders about as the Holy Spirit leads. Habakkuk is prophesying about several events in his song; he wanders from a description of the Exodus to the invasion of Babylon on Israel, and then onto the events of the last days when God’s glory will fill the earth.

Years ago we often had a guest minister by the name of Steve Solomon minister in our church. He was my close friend and often prophesied in song. His songs could go on for an hour or more as the Lord came down and filled the house with His glory. He called these songs Shigianoth and were some of the most amazing services we have had in our church. I can remember being stuck on the floor for hours while God’s glory filled the church. These songs are life changing and can be part of our daily life; like Paul said, 1Cor.14:15 – “I will pray with the Spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the Spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding”.