Lord, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2

What Hababbuk had heard was enough for him to quake in his boots. His people had been caught dead to rights. Sometimes when you know that punishment is warranted and coming, you just want to get it over with. Here the prophet twice calls for the discipline to be done “in the midst of the years,” a plea for promptness.

The second request was for mercy. Since the hand of reproof was on its way down, he emotionally asked for it to be restrained by compassion. Here he recalled God’s mercy in the past and his covenantal promises for the future.

We all make mistakes. We all sin. This should also be our frequent prayer, “in wrath remember mercy.”

We can draw comfort from this passage.

He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:9-12