Daniel 9:4
I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Daniel opens his prayer by reminding God of His faithfulness to His covenant, a promise He keeps with those who love Him. This isn't just a poetic phrase; it's a strategic appeal, drawing on God's own ancient promises as the basis for expecting His mercy and deliverance, even in the midst of judgment. It highlights that prayer isn't just asking, but also reminding God of who He is and what He has pledged.
Daniel has just read Jeremiah's prophecy that Jerusalem's desolation would last for seventy years. This verse marks the beginning of Daniel's prayer, a deep, personal confession where he acknowledges God's greatness and faithfulness to His covenant, even as he admits his people's sinfulness and the justice of their current exile. He's not just stating facts but laying the groundwork for petition, reminding God of His promises as he prepares to intercede for his people.
When facing difficult times, how do we approach God? Daniel's prayer shows us that genuine prayer begins with honest confession.
Daniel doesn't just ask for things; he starts by confessing. This isn't just admitting personal guilt, but acknowledging the people's collective sin and recognizing that their struggles are a just consequence.
Why Confess?
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Daniel addresses God with awe-inspiring titles. But right alongside 'great and awesome' comes an even more crucial truth: God is faithful to His promises.
Daniel calls God "the great and awesome God," a recognition of His immense power and holiness. Yet, he immediately pivots to God's faithfulness:
God's Unfailing Promises
Understand the original words
vidduy · Hebrew Noun
An act of acknowledging or admitting sin before God; it is the verbal expression of repentance that aligns the heart with God’s judgment of one's actions.
berit · Hebrew Noun
A formal, binding agreement between God and His people, characterized by divine obligation and promises that God faithfully maintains.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
God’s loyal, enduring, and faithful love; it is a profound term describing God’s unfailing commitment and kindness toward His people within the covenant relationship.
Daniel's prayer is deeply rooted in the historical trauma of the Babylonian exile, which began decades earlier and was understood by him as a consequence of Israel's covenant unfaithfulness. His prayer acknowledges God's faithfulness to His covenant, even amidst the people's disobedience, setting the stage for his prophetic understanding of future restoration.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of many Israelites and the scattering of the ten tribes.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's forces invade Judah, and Daniel is among the first group of Judeans deported to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of exiles, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, are taken to Babylon following a Judean revolt.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, with a final, larger group of Judeans exiled.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers the Babylonian Empire, initiating the Persian period and setting the stage for the return of the exiles.
538 BC
Cyrus's Decree Allowing Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, though many choose to remain in Babylon.
c. 538-536 BC— this verse
Daniel's Prayer for Jerusalem
While still in Babylon, Daniel, reflecting on the prophecies of Jeremiah concerning the seventy years of exile, prays and confesses the sins of his people.
This passage is directly echoed in Daniel's prayer, establishing the foundation of God's faithfulness to His covenant people as a core principle.
Nehemiah 1:5Nehemiah prays almost identically to Daniel, invoking God's greatness and covenant faithfulness, showing this was a recognized and powerful way to approach God in prayer during times of distress.
Exodus 20:6This verse from the Ten Commandments highlights the conditional nature of God's covenant love – it extends to those who love Him and keep His commands, a concept central to Daniel's prayer for his people's restoration.
Psalm 103:17-18This psalm beautifully describes God's covenant love and mercy enduring for generations and particularly for those who obey Him, mirroring Daniel's plea to remember His promises.
ellicottDaniel 9:4: "And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;"
(4) The covenant.— See Exodus 19:5 .
barnesDaniel 9:4: "And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;"
And I prayed unto the Lord my God - Evidently a set and formal prayer. It would seem probable that; he offered this prayer, and then re corded the substance of it afterward. We have no reason to suppose that we have the whole of it, but we have doubtless its principal topics. And made…
Daniel opens his prayer by reminding God of His faithfulness to His covenant, a promise He keeps with those who love Him. This isn't just a poetic phrase; it's a strategic appeal, drawing on God's own ancient promises as the basis for expecting His mercy and deliverance, even in the midst of judgment. It highlights that prayer isn't just asking, but also reminding God of who He is and what He has pledged.
Daniel has just read Jeremiah's prophecy that Jerusalem's desolation would last for seventy years. This verse marks the beginning of Daniel's prayer, a deep, personal confession where he acknowledges God's greatness and faithfulness to His covenant, even as he admits his people's sinfulness and the justice of their current exile. He's not just stating facts but laying the groundwork for petition, reminding God of His promises as he prepares to intercede for his people.
Daniel has just read Jeremiah's prophecy that Jerusalem's desolation would last for seventy years. This verse marks the beginning of Daniel's prayer, a deep, personal confession where he acknowledges God's greatness and faithfulness to His covenant, even as he admits his people's sinfulness and the justice of their current exile. He's not just stating facts but laying the groundwork for petition, reminding God of His promises as he prepares to intercede for his people.
"I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments," — Daniel opens his prayer by reminding God of His faithfulness to His covenant, a promise He keeps with those who love Him. This isn't just a poetic phrase; it's a strategic appeal, drawing on God's ow…
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