Habakkuk prays to Yahweh, the Lord. But he assumes a certain character about his God, namely that he is merciful. Though they go through a time of trembling, and though even the righteous in Judah will go through this time of judgment, when the Babylonians came in; nevertheless, even then, his God has a merciful heart. In a time of trembling, may you remember mercy. That is what David did in 2 Samuel 24:1–25. Do you remember when the prophet Gad came to him and told him that because of his sin, of a particular instance, he had his choice of either three years of famine, three months of running from his enemies, or three days of pestilence. And David said,
Ralph DavisI’m in great distress, let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great.[In other words,] I do not know what decision to make. Just let me fall into the Lord’s hands, because even if he scourges me, his mercies are great. That does not change. In other words, Habakkuk would have agreed with the author of Lamentations,For the Lord will not cast off forever, though we have grief, he will have compassion. For he does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of man.1
2 Eternel, j'ai entendu ce que tu as annoncé, je suis saisi de crainte. Accomplis ton œuvre dans le cours des années, ô Eternel! Dans le cours des années manifeste-la! Mais dans ta colère souviens-toi de tes compassions!