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.
Habakkuk 3:2
"O LORD, I have heard thy speech!” This is the language of reverent obedience, and is a fit preface to a fervent prayer. If we are not willing to hear God’s voice, we cannot expect him to hear our voice.
-- He who would hear God speak needs not to wait long, for God speaks to men continually by the Scriptures, which are given to us by inspiration. Alas that we should be so deaf to its teachings! This wonderful volume, so full of wisdom, is so little read that few of us could dare to gaze upon its pages and say, “O Lord, in this Book I have heard thy speech.”
There are three things in the text;
I. Hear, with solemn awe, THE ALARMING VOICE. The speech of God demands your humblest attention.
II. When one is thus bowed down with the voice of God, the most natural prompting of the regenerate soul is to pray; so we turn to the second part of the text which has in it AN APPROPRIATE PRAYER. Habakkuk, being bowed down, first turns himself to God. His first word is, “O Lord.” To the Most High we must carry both our own and our church’s troubles.
For God’s church, God is needed; for God’s work, God’s own arm must be made bare. Is it not delightful to notice how heavy trials drive us to God when we might not have gone to him else?
III. And now we close with A POTENT ARGUMENT. He uses the argument of mercy — “in wrath remember mercy.” O God, have mercy upon thy poor church, and visit her, and revive her.
If there be a man, woman, or child among you who will now humble himself under the hand of God, and look to the crucified Savior, you shall not perish, neither shall the wrath of God abide upon you, but you shall be found of him in peace in the day of his appearing."
Charles Spurgeon
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.
Habakkuk 3:2
"O LORD, I have heard thy speech!” This is the language of reverent obedience, and is a fit preface to a fervent prayer. If we are not willing to hear God’s voice, we cannot expect him to hear our voice.
-- He who would hear God speak needs not to wait long, for God speaks to men continually by the Scriptures, which are given to us by inspiration. Alas that we should be so deaf to its teachings! This wonderful volume, so full of wisdom, is so little read that few of us could dare to gaze upon its pages and say, “O Lord, in this Book I have heard thy speech.”
There are three things in the text;
I. Hear, with solemn awe, THE ALARMING VOICE. The speech of God demands your humblest attention.
II. When one is thus bowed down with the voice of God, the most natural prompting of the regenerate soul is to pray; so we turn to the second part of the text which has in it AN APPROPRIATE PRAYER. Habakkuk, being bowed down, first turns himself to God. His first word is, “O Lord.” To the Most High we must carry both our own and our church’s troubles.
For God’s church, God is needed; for God’s work, God’s own arm must be made bare. Is it not delightful to notice how heavy trials drive us to God when we might not have gone to him else?
III. And now we close with A POTENT ARGUMENT. He uses the argument of mercy — “in wrath remember mercy.” O God, have mercy upon thy poor church, and visit her, and revive her.
If there be a man, woman, or child among you who will now humble himself under the hand of God, and look to the crucified Savior, you shall not perish, neither shall the wrath of God abide upon you, but you shall be found of him in peace in the day of his appearing."
Charles Spurgeon
