Habakkuk 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Habakkuk responds in awe to God's revelation, praying that God would renew His work in their time and temper wrath with mercy.
What Does Habakkuk 3:2 Mean?
The prayer opens with reverent fear. Having heard what God revealed, Habakkuk trembles before it. He pleads that the Lord would "revive" His mighty work in the present years, making it known as He did of old — and, in the most tender petition of the book, that in the midst of His wrath He would remember mercy.
This is the cry of a heart that has come to terms with God's justice yet still longs for His compassion. Habakkuk does not ask God to withhold judgment, but to remember mercy within it. He knows both belong to God's character. This prayer models how the faithful approach a holy God: with awe at His power, hope in His past faithfulness, and bold trust that even in deserved discipline, His mercy is not forgotten. It is the prayer the whole world needs.
In the Original Language
racham (רַחֵם), 'mercy' — tender, womb-deep compassion, the kindness Habakkuk asks God to remember in the midst of wrath.