Motive of the Prayer

The low condition of the people was the motive for Habakkuk's petition for revival. The sad contradiction between their profession and their real state of declension was the impetus for the prophet's prayer. God's Law was ignored because God was not loved. The people were unbelieving and presumptuous and were subject to imminent judgment. It greatly mattered to Habakkuk that the professing people of God were seriously backslidden and about to experience God's chastening rod. Thus, he petitioned for God's reviving work amongst them.