Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

HABAKKUK 3:18KJV
Know the Bible

Habakkuk 3:18 (KJV)

What does Habakkuk 3:18 mean?

Habakkuk 3:18 expresses a personal decision to find joy and celebrate in the LORD, even when circumstances are difficult, because God is the one who brings salvation. The verse shows the speaker’s determination to trust and rejoice in God, regardless of what is happening around him.

The prophet Habakkuk is speaking at the end of a prayer, after describing hardship and loss. Even though he has just listed ways life can go wrong—like crops failing and livestock disappearing—he chooses to rejoice in the LORD (God’s personal name) and to find joy in the God who saves him. This verse is a declaration of faith in God’s goodness and deliverance, even when outward situations look bleak.

The Hebrew behind Habakkuk 3:18

  • "rejoice" (עָלַז, ‘alaz): This word often means to exult or be jubilant, showing a deep, outward kind of joy. Habakkuk is not just quietly content; he is choosing to celebrate God openly.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is God’s personal name in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing a close, covenant relationship. Habakkuk is not speaking about a distant deity, but the specific God who has committed Himself to His people.
  • "joy" (גִּיל, gil): This word carries the sense of rejoicing or being glad, sometimes with the idea of spinning or leaping for joy. It highlights a very active, heartfelt response.
  • "God" (אֱלֹהִים, Elohim): This is a more general term for God, used throughout the Old Testament. Here, it pairs with “of my salvation,” stressing God’s power and role as deliverer.
  • "salvation" (יֵשַׁע, yesha‘): This word refers to rescue, deliverance, or being saved from trouble. Habakkuk’s joy is rooted in God’s ability to save, not in his own circumstances.

Why Habakkuk 3:18 matters

  • Habakkuk 3:18 clarifies that joy in God does not depend on good circumstances; it is a choice made in faith, even when life is hard.
  • The verse connects to the larger message of Habakkuk, where the prophet moves from questioning God to trusting Him, showing a journey from doubt to faith.
  • By using both God’s personal name (YHWH) and the title “God of my salvation,” the verse emphasizes both God’s closeness and His power to save, deepening the sense of trust and relationship.

Where else these words appear

“rejoice” Hebrew H5937 · used in 16 verses

  • 2 Samuel 1:20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
  • Psalms 96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
  • Jeremiah 11:15 What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

“salvation” Hebrew H3468 · used in 35 verses

  • 2 Samuel 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
  • Psalms 20:6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
  • Psalms 85:4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.

“joy” Hebrew H1523 · used in 44 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 16:31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.
  • Psalms 89:16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
  • Isaiah 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.