O Lord, I Have Heard of Your Renown

This meditation is based on a passage for November 16, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Habakkuk 3:1-15

Reflection and Question: As the Oxford Annotated New Revised Standard Bible notes explain, this psalm is full of allusions to early Hebrew poetry. Those notes also root this poem in a horrible time in the life of Judah, the years of suffering just before the exile to Babylon in 597 BC. For that terrorized community, Habakkuk creates a stunning image of God’s great power. When he speaks of “the poor who were in hiding” on whom the warriors are descending “like the whirlwind,” the prophet names his listeners and offers comfort and hope. How do you offer comfort or give hope?

Prayer: Eternal God of all, with Habakkuk, we stand in awe of Your work and we humbly ask, as he did, that You revive it in our time. We ask as he does, that You make Your power known now in mercy, as You do in Christ, not in wrath. Please. Amen.