Habakkuk 3:2

3:1,2 The word prayer seems used here for an act of devotion. The Lord would revive his work among the people in the midst of the years of adversity. This may be applied to every season when the church, or believers, suffer under afflictions and trials. Mercy is what we must flee to for refuge, and rely upon as our only plea. We must not say, Remember our merit, but, Lord, remember thy own mercy.

Habakkuk 3:2 . O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid — I have heard what thou hast revealed to me concerning thy judgments to be executed, first upon thy own people, and afterward upon their enemies the Chaldeans, and the terribleness of them hath filled me with a reverential awe and dread. O Lord, revive, or preserve alive, thy work in the midst of the years — Habakkuk having understood, by divine revelation, that some time would intervene between the desolation of Judea and the punishment of the Chaldeans, here entreats God, that, during that interval, he would preserve or take care of his work; that is, his Israel, that work of his hands which he had formed for himself, that they might show forth his praise: (see Isaiah 43:21 ; Isaiah 45:11 :) together with the work of his grace in and among them; that he would keep that spark alive amidst the waters of tribulation and temptation through which they had to pass. Although all men are the work of God, yet the Jews might be called so more emphatically, because he had, by many extraordinary interpositions, raised them to be a peculiar people to himself, and had formed them such by laws given to them in a singular manner, not used with regard to any other people. In the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy — Or, as Grotius interprets the clause, In that intervening time show, that although thou art angry, thou rememberest mercy.

In the midst of these years of calamity let thy people experience, that even in thy indignation thou thinkest upon mercy, and dost not lay more upon them than thou enablest them to bear. The years here referred to seem plainly to be those in which the Jews were under the power of the Chaldeans, and Judea lay desolate. Mr. Green translates the verse, O Jehovah, I have heard thy report: (that is, what thou hast revealed concerning the captivity:) I am in pain, O Jehovah, for thy work: (that is, the Jewish people:) in the midst of the years revive it: (restore the Jews to their own land before the years appointed for their captivity are expired:) in the midst of the years show compassion; in wrath remember mercy.

(2) Thy speech. —Better, thy report, as in margin. The tone is that of Psalm 44:1 , “We have heard with our ears O God! our fathers have told us . . . ” Jehovah’s doings at the beginning of the years are well known; the prophet seeks that they may be manifested again, now in the midst of the years. The petition “in wrath remember mercy,” is explained by Habakkuk 1:5 et seq. It implies—though Thy visitation be well deserved, yet mercifully limit its duration, as on former occasions.

{b} O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy {c} work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. (b) Thus the people were afraid when they heard God's threatenings, and prayed. (c) That is, the state of your Church which is now ready to perish, before it comes to half a perfect age, which would be under Christ.

2. I have heard thy speech—Thy revelation to me concerning the coming chastisement of the Jews [Calvin], and the destruction of their oppressors. This is Habakkuk's reply to God's communication [Grotius]. Maurer translates, "the report of Thy coming," literally, "Thy report." and was afraid—reverential fear of God's judgments (Hab 3:16). revive thy work—Perfect the work of delivering Thy people, and do not let Thy promise lie as if it were dead, but give it new life by performing it [Menochius]. Calvin explains "thy work" to be Israel; called "the work of My hands" (Isa 45:11). God's elect people are peculiarly His work (Isa 43:1), pre-eminently illustrating His power, wisdom, and goodness. "Though we seem, as it were, dead nationally, revive us" (Ps 85:6). However (Ps 64:9), where "the work of God" refers to His judgment on their enemies, favors the former view (Ps 90:16, 17; Isa 51:9, 10). in the midst of the years—namely, of calamity in which we live. Now that our calamities are at their height; during our seventy years' captivity. Calvin more fancifully explains it, in the midst of the years of Thy people, extending from Abraham to Messiah; if they be cut off before His coming, they will be cut off as it were in the midst of their years, before attaining their maturity. So Bengel makes the midst of the years to be the middle point of the years of the world. There is a strikingly similar phrase (Da 9:27), In the midst of the week.

2 . I have heard thy speech ] I have heard the report of thee . The term appears always to express the report or bruit about one, e.g. Genesis 29:13 the news about Jacob, 1 Kings 10:1 about Solomon, Isaiah 23:5 about Tyre (her downfall); comp. Numbers 14:15 ; Isaiah 66:19 ; Nahum 3:19 . It seems also always to refer to something past and actual (unless Hosea 7:12 be an exception); and this suggests that the allusion is to the divine manifestation at the Exodus. and was afraid ] Or, am afraid . Of course the prophet or the community in whose name he speaks (cf. Habakkuk 3:14 ) did not fear hurt from the Theophany so long past, but the recital or the thought of it created alarm. Comp. Exodus 14:30-31 . revive thy work ] Though filled with fear at the thought of the divine interposition the prophet nevertheless prays for it. The term “revive” might mean to recall or bring back to life that which is dead ( Hosea 6:2 ), or to call into life and being what does not yet exist ( Deuteronomy 32:39 ; 1 Samuel 2:6 ). The “work” of Jehovah is that which He does, any operation which He performs, ch. Habakkuk 1:5 ; but the word is often used of His great historical acts done for His people, Psalm 44:1 ; Psalm 95:9 ; Deuteronomy 11:7 ; Jdg 2:7 . The sense is thus either: bring into being a great act of Thine; or, renew, recall into life again, Thy former great work of redemption.

The second sense is the more natural, and most in harmony with the following phrase “in the midst of the years.” in the midst of the years ] This cannot mean “within a few years” (Gesen.), a sense ill-suited to the tone of importunity in the passage; nor “amidst the years of distress,” because the idea of distress must have been expressed. The expression must describe the poet’s own time, for his prayer is for immediate divine interposition. Looking back to the far past event of the Exodus, the many years that have rolled by since then, he conceives of the position of himself and his people as amidst the years. midst of the years make known ] i.e. at this late time in our history make thy work known. Sept. regarded the verbal form as reflexive: make thyself (ox, let thyself be) known . So Wellh. In wrath remember mercy ] The “wrath” might be that lying on the people now; but it is more natural to understand it of the wrath which the judge will manifest when He intervenes among men. Comp. Isaiah 26:20 , “Come, O my people, enter into thy chambers, hide thyself for a little moment until the indignation be overpast.” At the thought or the recital of God’s interposition in the past—type of every interposition of His—the poet trembled; yet he would encounter it for the sake of that which will come after it, and he prays that it may come again; then he prays that in that day of universal wrath he and his people may have mercy shewn them. Revelation 3:10 .

I have heard; received answer to the inquiry made Habakkuk 1:13-17 , whether by voice from heaven, or by inward illumination or irradiation of the mind, or any other way of impression from the prophetic Spirit, needs not be inquired. Thy speech; the report or declaration God made to him concerning the future corrections of his own people, and the devastations Babylon would make among them; and next, the destruction which should fall upon the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians, which is summarily set down, Habakkuk 2 . Was afraid; trembled at the apprehension of these sad things, which both we and they were to suffer; he saw them as certain and grievous. Revive; not only keep alive, but somewhat refresh, renew, give some new strength to thy church and people, who wait for thee. Thy work; thy church, called, Isaiah 45:11 , as here, God’s work, in an eminent manner, above other people; so the apostle, we are his workmanship, Ephesians 2:10 : or else by work may be meant, the returning of the captivity, and restoring them to their own land, which was the great thing God did promise to do for them; and the prophet prays for some kindness from the Lord, that may be a revival of the hope, assurance, and joy of it.

In the midst of the years: it is not needful we report the different account of these years, and the precise midst of them assigned by some; perhaps it may point to that time when Evil-merodach exalted Jehoiachin out of prison, which, 2 Kings 25:27 , was in the 37th year of their captivity; but I rather think it is more vulgarly to be taken for any time within the term of the sad and troublesome days which would last seventy years. Make known: it is an affectionate request, and (as such often are) somewhat abrupt; make known either thy truth, or wisdom, or power, or compassion, or all; make it known that thou art our God, and we thy people, that thou still hast a care of us: or what next follows makes the sense full. In wrath, whilst thy just displeasure burns against us for our sins, remember mercy; make it appear thou hast not forgotten to be gracious, let thy people see thou rememberest mercy towards them. I have heard; received answer to the inquiry made Habakkuk 1:13-17 , whether by voice from heaven, or by inward illumination or irradiation of the mind, or any other way of impression from the prophetic Spirit, needs not be inquired. Thy speech; the report or declaration God made to him concerning the future corrections of his own people, and the devastations Babylon would make among them; and next, the destruction which should fall upon the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians, which is summarily set down, Habakkuk 2 .