THE prophet Habakkuk has listened to and digested the revelation of God concerning Israel which God gives in chapter 2 in answer to his questions, and has come to a position of acceptance and submission to the Lord in all he has said he will do in chastisement of Israel for their sin and rebellion. His response to all that God has revealed to him is expressed in this prayer. In a real sense verse 2 is the prophets response to God, and the rest of the prayer is a development of his prayer. We shall look just at these two opening verses which really hold the key to all the rest of this wonderful revealing prayer of Habakkuk. When we read this prayer of Habakkuk surely we can't fail to revere this man and extol his true and deep response to God, which is a lesson to all believers. The spirituality here is as great as any we will find in the whole bible.

THE TITLE OF THE PRAYER.

The title tells us that what follows is the prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, and is a record of his response to all God's revelation to him concerning Israel. It is plainly a public prayer recorded for public use, and the phrase 'on shigionoth' suggests it was a prayer to be sung, neither mournfully or joyfully but with reverence, devotion and faith. The prayer is a record of the appropriate and right attitude of God's people to God as supreme king over all the universe, and specially his people, and to all God's dealings with his people. The prayer is an acceptance of all God's dealings with his people, and reverent faith in the truth that God's ways are always just, and his purposes for his true believing people will always be for their eventual and eternal good. Let us humbly bow down before the Lord with Habakkuk in his prayer.

THE SUBSTANCE OF HABAKKUK'S PRAYER.

I have printed at the head of this sermon both the NIV translation of verse 2, and also the AV version of this verse. I felt it would be helpful, for although both translations say the same thing, it is helpful for our understanding, I think, to hear both versions.

I see four aspects of prayer in this verse. The first is Recollection. The second is Worship. The third is Petition. The fourth is Submission. Lets us dwell on each of these four aspects.

a. RECOLLECTION.

The AV translation of the first clause of this verse speaks of the prophet recollecting all the words that the Lord had spoken to him in chapter 2, ?I have heard your speech.? and reflecting on them. The NIV translations seems to take us somewhat beyond God's revelation in chapter 2, and in recollecting all God has said in chapter 2, the prophet's mind encompasses all that he recollects of God's great acts in the history of Israel since the time of Abraham and Moses. ?I have heard your fame.?

This recollection gives us an insight into the mind of the prophet at this critical time. He has listened to what God has had to say, and what God is going to do. He ceases to question the right of God to chastise Israel, and to use the evil Babylonian nation to be his agent in this act of judgement. He also reflects on what God has revealed to him in chapter 2 that the Babylonian nation will in God's time also be judged and punished for their evil acts in plundering the nations and particularly Israel.

This reflection in the mind of the prophet causes the prophet to take on board all that God has told him, and receive it without question and with faith, and causes him to dwell on all God's dealings with his people. In this recollection is puts all that God is going to do in the context of the revealed character of God, and in the context of all God has revealed concerning his purposes of salvation. He evaluates what God has said he is going to do in the light of how God has dealt with his true believing people in the past, and in the promises of redemption, specially in the coming of the promised king, the Messiah. This gives him a peaceful faith as he waits for the calamity to come.

Here is the way all God's people should act. We are strong and at peace as we dwell on all that God has revealed to us in his word, the bible; and in all his past dealings with his people in the past, and in our own individual lives. As God has dealt with his people in the past, and his church in general, so he will deal with his people in the future. Although at times terrible things seem to be happening, yet in the overall plan of God for his elect, we are secure in the knowledge that God is working all things for our good, and having begun a good work in us he will continue it unto the day of Jesus Christ. So we go and work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, and with confidence whatever our present condition may be.

b. WORSHIP.

In the next phrase Habakkuk expresses the response to his recollection of what God has and is doing. It is worship. The AV expresses this in the words 'and was afraid.' The NIV expresses this in the words 'I stood in awe of your deeds, O Lord.'

Being afraid in the words of the AV is not abject fear, but as the NIV expresses it, it is a sense of deep awe at the omnipotence of God, at the holiness of God, and the justice of God. In the realisation of the revealed character of God there is only one response that issues from the very heart of the prophet and that is one of worship.

Here is an example of true new life. New birth into the kingdom of God always has this sense of awe, reverence and worship before the almighty and holy God who has saved us in deep love through the sacrifice of his well-beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We bow down before his majesty, and in the awe there is reverent fear which comes with peace in the heart which is founded on the knowledge of the promise of grace in Jesus Christ which is that faith that Christ, on the grounds of his death, hides all our transgressions from view. However there is no silly familiarity with God, but an approach to God in holy fear, but with confidence in his good will towards us in Jesus.

Worship accepts all that God does as just and right. Worship bows down in faith in God's infinite mercy and love. Worship causes the believing soul to be silent in adoration and wonder.

c. PRAYER.

From recollection and worship comes prayer. The prophet says (AV) 'O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known.' and in the NIV 'Renew them (your deeds) in our day, in our time make them known.'

The prophet accepts the justness of the chastisement and exile Israel was going to suffer at the hands of the Lord, but his prayer is that God will not forget them in their time of trial, and that he will revive his people and bring them back in penitence and obedient faith to him, even in their trial and exile.

This is the assurance we have in prayer, even at times when things are hard, either personally or in the wider church. God may chastise his people for their good, but he will never forgo his eternal purpose for his elect. Just as he revived his people in exile in Babylon, so in times of trial God will also never cease to work in the lives of his people to bring about sincere repentance, and a return to himself in faith and obedience. The chastisement of the Lord brings forth the peaceable fruits, works, of righteousness. It is the ability to believe this, and to see it worked in our lives and within the church, which is a sign of God's reviving grace.

The meaning of the words 'Renew them in our day' (NIV) and 'revive thy work in the midst of the years' (AV) is the prophets prayer that, even during the exile God will bring his reviving grace, and not forsake his faithful remnant, and even bring about a national revival as people learn the lessons from their exile. Prayer for God's blessing on his faithful few in times of dearth in the life of the church is always what we must do, and do it in the remembrance that God has revived in the past, and in the worst of times God has never forsaken his people or abandoned his plans of salvation in Christ.

d. Submission.

The last ingredient in prayer which Habakkuk expresses here in verse 2 is that of submission to the will of God. This is expressed in the words 'in wrath remember mercy.' These words express an acceptance that, the way of God in bringing judgement upon Israel by the agency of the wicked Babylonian power, God is acting justly and righteously and was working his eternal purposes out in spite of the sin of human beings.