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 thy speech - thy revelation to me concerning the coming chastisement of the Jews (Calvin), and the destruction of their oppressors. This is Habakkuk's reply to God's communication (Grotius). Maurer translates, 'the report of thy coming'-literally, thy report.
And was afraid - with reverential fear of God's judgments (Habakkuk 3:16).
O Lord, revive thy work - perfect the work of delivering thy people, and do not let thy promise to lie as it were dead, but give it new life by performing it (Menochius). Calvin explains, "thy work" to be Israel; called "my sons ... the work of my hands" (Isaiah 45:11). God's elect people are peculiarly His work, preeminently illustrating His power, wisdom, and goodness (Isaiah 43:1, "The Lord ... created thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel"). 'Though we seem as it were dead nationally, revive us' (Psalms 85:6). However, Psalms 64:9, "All men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God" - where "the work of God" refers to His judgment on their enemies-favours the former view, (Psalms 90:16-17; Isaiah 51:9-10, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord: awake, as in the ancient days (answering to revive thy work here), in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab (Egypt) and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?") I think "revive thy work" includes the work of grace to the people, as well as judgment on their enemies.
In the midst of the years - namely, of calamity, in which we live. Now that our calamities are at their height; during our 70 years' captivity. Calvin more fancifully explains it, in the midst of the years of thy people, extending from Abraham to Messiah, if they be cut off before His coming, they will be cut off as it were in the midst of their years, before attaining their maturity. So Bengel makes the midst of the years to be the middle point of the years of the world. There is a strikingly similar phrase in Daniel 9:27, "in the midst of the week." The parallel clause, "in wrath"
(i:e., in the midst of wrath), remember mercy, however, shows that "in the midst of the years" means in the years of our present exile and calamity.
Make known - make it (thy work) known by experimental proof; show, very deed, that is thy work. Make known - make it (thy work) known by experimental proof; show, very deed, that is thy work.