O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Habakkuk isn't just repeating a report he heard; he's confessing that the very work God does—even His judgment—inspires awe and fear in him. This isn't a servile dread, but a reverent acknowledgment of God's immense power and justice, prompting his plea to revive and reveal that same work with mercy.
O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Habakkuk has just received God's terrifying response to his questions about injustice: judgment is coming, and it will be severe, carried out by the Babylonians. This prayer begins with the prophet acknowledging the awesome, fear-inducing reality of God's power and work he's just heard about. He then pleads for God to intervene and renew His chosen people and His saving work, even amidst the coming judgment and wrath.
Habakkuk starts with a profound statement: 'I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, I fear.' What does it mean to fear God's work, and how is this fear a gateway to prayer?
Habakkuk isn't expressing a cowering, servile fear of a monster. Instead, this is a holy awe, a deep reverence for the power and justice of God.
Awe at God's Revelation
When Habakkuk says he 'heard the report of you,' he's referring to God's declared judgments against sin, which he's been wrestling with. This isn't just hearing about God; it's hearing from God, understanding His character and His actions.
Fear as a Sign of Life
This fear is actually a sign of spiritual life. As Calvin noted, it's a confession and an evidence of repentance. When we truly grasp God's holiness and the seriousness of sin, we naturally feel a reverential fear. This fear isn't paralyzing; it's humbling, preparing the heart to truly seek God's mercy rather than relying on self-sufficiency.
It’s like seeing a powerful, righteous judge pronounce a sentence – you might fear the consequences of the law, but you also respect the justice behind it.
Habakkuk cries, 'Revive your work in the midst of the years; in the midst of the years make it known.' What 'work' is he praying for, and why does the timing matter so much?
The 'work' Habakkuk refers to is God's ongoing action in the world, especially His covenant relationship with His people, Israel. It's the continuation of His redemptive plan.
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The People as God's Work
Commentators like Calvin and Benson emphasize that 'your work' often signifies God's people, whom He uniquely formed and sustains. It's not just about historical events, but about the spiritual vitality of those set apart for Him.
'In the Midst of the Years' - A Crucial Time
This phrase is key. It speaks to the present moment, the 'middle course' of Israel's history, not necessarily the very beginning or end. Habakkuk prays for God to invigorate His work now, amidst their current struggles and the years of trial ahead. It’s a plea for God to demonstrate His power and faithfulness not just in past deeds, but in their current experience and the unfolding future.
This isn't just a historical prayer; it's for any time when God's people feel their spiritual momentum waning, and they need God to stir them up again.
Habakkuk ends his plea with a profound paradox: 'in wrath remember mercy.' How can God's wrath and mercy coexist, and what does this teach us about His character?
This is perhaps the most challenging and comforting part of Habakkuk's prayer. He acknowledges God's righteous anger against sin but simultaneously appeals to God's boundless mercy.
Wrath for Sin, Mercy for the Sinner
God's wrath is a just reaction to sin and rebellion. However, it's not His ultimate desire to destroy. As the commentators suggest, even in judgment, God's 'wrath' towards sin is tempered by His mercy towards His chosen people. It’s a fatherly discipline, not an abandonment.
The Promise of Salvation
This prayer anticipates the cross of Christ, where God's wrath against sin was fully poured out on His Son, while His mercy was extended to all who believe. God remembers His covenant promises and His loving-kindness even when His people (or humanity) deserve judgment.
This paradox reveals God's unchanging nature: He hates sin, but He loves the sinner. His mercy is not a denial of His justice, but its ultimate fulfillment through the sacrifice of His Son.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of God (YHWH), revealing His self-existence, eternity, and faithfulness to His people; it is the name by which He is known in redemptive history.
yare · Hebrew Verb
A reverent awe or profound respect arising from the recognition of God's holiness, power, and judicial authority; it leads to humble obedience.
chayah · Hebrew Verb
To restore to life, quicken, or keep alive; in a spiritual sense, it denotes God's intervention to renew His people and re-establish His purposes.
rogez · Hebrew Noun
Intense, righteous indignation or settled judicial anger against sin; it is not uncontrolled rage but a necessary expression of God's perfect justice.
racham · Hebrew Noun
Faithful love, covenant loyalty, and compassionate kindness; it is the disposition of God to act with grace, especially toward those who deserve judgment.
Habakkuk's prayer is deeply rooted in the devastating experience of Jerusalem's destruction and the ensuing Babylonian exile. His plea to 'revive Your work' and 'make it known' amid the 'midst of the years' reflects a desperate longing for God's intervention and restoration during this period of profound national crisis and uncertainty.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, marking a significant period of divine judgment and dispersion for the Israelites.
597 BC
First Deportation of Judah to Babylon
King Jehoiachin and a significant portion of Judah's elite are exiled to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar II. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian Captivity.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar II destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. This is a catastrophic event for the Judean people.
c. 586 BC - 538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The Judean people live in exile in Babylon, a period of deep national trauma, spiritual reflection, and prophetic pronouncements, including Habakkuk's.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, leading to the eventual decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland.
516 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
The Second Temple is completed and dedicated in Jerusalem, signifying a partial restoration of Jewish worship and national identity after the exile.
This passage echoes Habakkuk's sentiment of hearing and remembering God's past deeds, connecting the 'report of you' to historical acts of deliverance that inspire awe.
Psalm 77:8-9Habakkuk's plea to 'revive your work' resonates with this psalm's lament and question about whether God's mercy has ceased, highlighting the fear that God's work might seem dormant.
Isaiah 26:20The phrase 'in wrath remember mercy' finds a parallel in this verse, which speaks of hiding until the indignation has passed, underscoring the hope for mercy amidst divine judgment.
Jeremiah 30:11This verse, which promises that God will correct 'but not severely,' speaks to Habakkuk's plea to 'in wrath remember mercy,' showing God's promise to temper judgment with compassion for His people.
Luke 1:54-55Mary's song in Luke echoes the sentiment of remembering mercy and showing steadfast love, directly linking to Habakkuk's prayer, demonstrating this theme throughout salvation history.
calvinHabakkuk 3:2: "O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy."
- Jehova, audivi vocem tuam (auditum tuum, ad verbum, [dms]; [50] ) Jehova, opus tuum in medio annorum vivifica illud (sed relativum pronomen abundat;) in medio annorum notum fac; in ira misericordiae recorderis.
The Prophet says here, in the name of the whole people, that he was terrified by the voice of God, for so…
barnesHabakkuk 3:2: "O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy."
O Lord, I have heard - i. e., with the inward ear of the heart, "Thy speech," (rather as English margin, Thy report, i. e., the report of Thee) i. e., what may he heard and known of God, or, what he had himself heard . The word contains in one both what God had lately declared to the prophet, the judgments of God upon…
Habakkuk isn't just repeating a report he heard; he's confessing that the very work God does—even His judgment—inspires awe and fear in him. This isn't a servile dread, but a reverent acknowledgment of God's immense power and justice, prompting his plea to revive and reveal that same work with mercy.
Habakkuk has just received God's terrifying response to his questions about injustice: judgment is coming, and it will be severe, carried out by the Babylonians. This prayer begins with the prophet acknowledging the awesome, fear-inducing reality of God's power and work he's just heard about. He then pleads for God to intervene and renew His chosen people and His saving work, even amidst the coming judgment and wrath.
Habakkuk has just received God's terrifying response to his questions about injustice: judgment is coming, and it will be severe, carried out by the Babylonians. This prayer begins with the prophet acknowledging the awesome, fear-inducing reality of God's power and work he's just heard about. He then pleads for God to intervene and renew His chosen people and His saving work, even amidst the coming judgment and wrath.
"O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy." — Habakkuk isn't just repeating a report he heard; he's confessing that the very work God does—even His judgment—inspires awe and fear in him. This isn't a servile dread, but a reverent acknowledgmen…
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Last reviewed October 2026