Singing Through Hardship

Though the fig tree does not bud
and no fruit is on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though the sheep are cut off from the fold
and no cattle are in the stalls,
yet I will exult in the LORD;
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!
GOD the Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like those of a deer;
He makes me walk upon the heights!
— Habakkuk 3:17-19


Habakkuk’s song is one of the most stirring declarations of faith in all of Scripture. It is not a hymn of abundance or peace—it is a song sung in the face of loss. The fig tree is bare. The vines are empty. The fields have failed, and the flocks are gone. Yet the prophet does not fall into silence or despair. Instead, he lifts his voice. He exults. He rejoices. Not because his circumstances are good, but because God is still God—still his salvation, still his strength, still worthy of praise.

This kind of song is rare and costly. It is the music of faith that has wrestled with disappointment and still chosen trust. It is praise that rises like a candle in the dark, refusing to be extinguished. Habakkuk’s voice does not deny the reality of hardship—it names it clearly. And then, with deliberate conviction, it declares joy. His feet are made steady, like a deer walking on heights, not because the path is smooth, but because God is his stability.

As you reflect on this song, consider the times when your own praise has had to rise from difficult places. Have you ever sung through tears, played through exhaustion, or worshiped when answers did not come? What gave you strength in those moments? What allowed you to say, even if quietly, “Yet I will rejoice”? And is there a part of you now that needs to hear this reminder—that praise is still possible, even when the fields are empty?

Today, if you are in a season of difficulty, offer God a “yet” song. It does not need to be loud or elaborate. A simple melody, a whispered refrain, a line from a familiar hymn will do. Let it rise from the real soil of your life, even if that soil feels dry. And if you are in a season of joy, sing in solidarity with those who are walking the hard path. Let your music be a light, a strength, a reminder: the Lord is our salvation and our strength. He is worthy—always.


Steadfast and Saving God,

Thank You for being my strength even when everything around me feels empty and broken. Teach me to sing a “yet” song—to lift my voice in faith when the fields bear no fruit and the way ahead is steep. Remind me that my praise is not dependent on my circumstances but on Your unchanging goodness. Strengthen my feet like those of a deer, sure and steady on the heights You set before me. Help my song to shine like light in the darkness, a testimony to Your faithfulness and my trust in You.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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