Habakkuk 3:2

O LORD, I have heard the report of You; I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds. Revive them in these years; make them known in these years. In Your wrath, remember mercy!

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Habakkuk the prophet addresses Yahweh directly in a prayer labeled "according to Shigionoth" (v.1), positioned between God's announced judgment (ch. 1–2) and the theophany of v.3.

The words — יָרֵאתִי (yareti) is the plain "I fear," not a softened reverence; and בְּקֶרֶב (be-kerav) means "in the midst of," not "at the end of," so the plea is for revival within the present crisis, not after it.

The thread — The "revive" (הָיַח) plea echoes Psalms 85:6 and Hosea 6:2, while "in Your wrath, remember mercy" parallels Psalm 90:13's "Return, O LORD! How long will it be?"

Why it lands — The verse refuses to resolve the tension between divine wrath and mercy; it asks the reader to hold both without collapsing one into the other, and to make the plea from the middle of the crisis rather than after it.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

יְהוָ֗הYah.wehO Yahweh שָׁמַ֣עְתִּיsha.Ma'.tiI have heard שִׁמְעֲךָ֮shim.'a./Khareport/ your יָרֵאתִי֒ya.re.TiI fear יְהוָ֗הYah.wehO Yahweh פָּֽעָלְךָ֙pa.'a.le./Khawork/ your בְּקֶ֤רֶבbe./Ke.revin/ [the] midst of שָׁנִים֙sha.Nimyears חַיֵּ֔יהוּchai.Yei./hurestore/ it בְּקֶ֥רֶבbe./Ke.revin/ [the] midst of שָׁנִ֖יםsha.Nimyears תּוֹדִ֑יעַto.Di.a'you will make [it] known בְּרֹ֖גֶזbe./Ro.gezin/ wrath רַחֵ֥םra.Chemto have compassion תִּזְכּֽוֹר׃tiz.Koryou will remember

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Psalms 85:6 Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?
Psalms 90:13 Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.
Hosea 6:2 After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.
Isaiah 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon?
Lamentations 3:32 Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion.
Isaiah 54:8 In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
Isaiah 63:15 Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious habitation. Where are Your zeal and might? Your yearning and compassion for me are restrained.
Habakkuk 3:16 I heard and trembled within; my lips quivered at the sound. Decay entered my bones; I trembled where I stood. Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress to come upon the people who invade us.
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Jeremiah 10:24 Correct me, O LORD, but only with justice—not in Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.