Daniel 9:4-5
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, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Daniel doesn't just confess his own sins, but makes a sweeping confession on behalf of his entire people, acknowledging their collective iniquity. He's not just asking for a personal favor, but appealing to God's faithfulness to the covenant itself, recognizing that God's steadfast love is the foundation for any hope of restoration, even when His people have failed.
Daniel begins his prayer not with a plea for help, but with a profound confession, acknowledging God’s greatness and faithfulness to His covenant. This humbling posture is crucial, as it precedes his plea for mercy regarding Jerusalem's desolation, recognizing their captivity as a just consequence of their unfaithfulness.
Daniel opens his prayer with words that might seem intimidating: 'great and awesome God.' What does this powerful description reveal about approaching the Almighty?
Daniel doesn't shy away from God's greatness. He calls Him "great and awesome" (or "dreadful" in some translations). This isn't meant to make us cower in fear, but to inspire awe and reverence.
A Proper Perspective
Understanding God's immense stature is the first step in approaching Him. It reminds us that we are coming before the King of Kings, not just a friendly figure.
Even in confession, Daniel immediately points to God's faithfulness. What does 'keeping covenant' mean for us today?
Daniel doesn't just stop at God's greatness; he immediately pivots to His faithfulness. He calls God "who keeps covenant and steadfast love."
God's Unfailing Promise
This is incredibly significant. Even when Daniel and his people were in exile due to their sin, he appeals to God's established promises. God's faithfulness isn't dependent on our perfection, but on His unchanging character. He remains committed to those who love Him and obey Him, not because they are flawless, but because He is.
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.
chata · Hebrew Verb
Missing the mark or failing to meet God’s standard of holiness; it describes a violation of God’s law and a falling short of His glory.
Daniel's prayer is set against the backdrop of Jerusalem's destruction and the exile, a stark consequence of the people's covenant unfaithfulness. His deep understanding of God's character, particularly His covenant faithfulness and mercy, is rooted in the foundational scriptures like Deuteronomy and forms the basis of his intercession for his people.
c. 627 BC
Jeremiah's Ministry Begins
Jeremiah begins his prophetic ministry in Jerusalem, warning of impending judgment and exile due to the people's sins. His prophecies would have been known to Daniel.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Judah and deports a group of Judean elites, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of exiles, including the prophet Ezekiel, are taken to Babylon. This further emphasizes the severity of God's judgment on Judah.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its temple, ending the Davidic kingdom and intensifying the exile. This event profoundly impacts the exiles' understanding of God's covenant.
This passage is a direct echo of Daniel's words, highlighting God's covenant faithfulness and lovingkindness to those who love Him and keep His commands. It establishes the ancient foundation of this covenant relationship that Daniel is appealing to.
Deuteronomy 7:9Daniel's prayer directly quotes this verse, emphasizing that God is 'the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love.' This connection shows Daniel leaning on God's own promises to His people.
Nehemiah 1:5Like Daniel, Nehemiah also begins his prayer with a profound acknowledgment of God's greatness and covenant faithfulness, mirroring the themes and reverence found in Daniel's prayer.
Psalm 86:15This Psalm offers a similar prayerful confession, describing God as 'slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,' reinforcing the attributes Daniel emphasizes when approaching God.
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 doesn't just confess his own sins, but makes a sweeping confession on behalf of his entire people, acknowledging their collective iniquity. He's not just asking for a personal favor, but appealing to God's faithfulness to the covenant itself, recognizing that God's steadfast love is the foundation for any hope of restoration, even when His people have failed.
Daniel begins his prayer not with a plea for help, but with a profound confession, acknowledging God’s greatness and faithfulness to His covenant. This humbling posture is crucial, as it precedes his plea for mercy regarding Jerusalem's desolation, recognizing their captivity as a just consequence of their unfaithfulness.
Daniel begins his prayer not with a plea for help, but with a profound confession, acknowledging God’s greatness and faithfulness to His covenant. This humbling posture is crucial, as it precedes his plea for mercy regarding Jerusalem's desolation, recognizing their captivity as a just consequence of their unfaithfulness.
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marad · Hebrew Verb
A deliberate turning away from the authority of a ruler; in a biblical context, it is a willful, rebellious act against God’s sovereign rule and commandments.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon
The Babylonian Empire is conquered by the Medes and Persians. This event ushers in a new era and brings hope for the exiles' return.
"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, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebe…" — Daniel doesn't just confess his own sins, but makes a sweeping confession on behalf of his entire people, acknowledging their collective iniquity. He's not just asking for a personal favor, but appea…
