Daniel 9:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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,

NIV: I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: "Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

NASB: I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed, and said, 'Oh, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and faithfulness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,

CSB: I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands —

NLT: I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: 'O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.

KJV: 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;

NKJV: And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,

Daniel's urgent prayer (Daniel 9:3) begins with confession. He speaks this confession on behalf of his people, using terms such as "we" and "us" (Daniel 9:5, 8). That does not mean that Daniel is literally admitting to the same sin, wickedness, or rebellion against God's law. Scripture indicates that Daniel was an imperfect (Romans 3:23; Daniel 9:20) but remarkably faithful man (Daniel 1:8; 6:5). And yet, he does not pray about the sins of "them" or "they." Rather, he identifies fully with his people and begs God to show mercy. This means admitting the sins committed by the people (Daniel 9:5–7).

Legitimate confession involves more than simply stating one's own actions or emotions. The New Testament offers insight into what true "confession" means. The Greek word used in 1 John 1:9 literally means "to say the same." When a believer genuinely confesses sin, they "say the same" about sin that God does. This means taking the same attitude toward sin as taken by God. Sin is abhorrent, detestable, a violation of God's commandments, and wicked.

Note that confession also includes proclaiming who God is. We not only confess sin, but we also confess—or profess—the truth. Daniel begins his prayer by proclaiming realities about God. His prayer portrays God as majestic and faithful to His covenant, always loving those who love and obey Him. Jesus pointed out that obedience to His commands is a true test of love (John 14:15). Here, Daniel views himself as insignificant, next to the might and value of the Lord. He knew his people were unfaithful to God's covenant, but that God was completely loyal to it.

Deuteronomy 28 clearly communicated the curses that would befall the people of Israel in response to disobedience. Those curses included being subjugated by Gentile nations (Deuteronomy 28:25).

Daniel 9:1–19 records a prayer of confession on behalf of God's rebellious people; Daniel includes himself by using terms such as "us" and "we." After the fall of Babylon, Daniel sees evidence in the writings of Jeremiah that Israel's exile may be nearing an end. He prays for forgiveness and restoration, referring to God as righteous, merciful, and forgiving. This prayer leads to an appearance from the angel Gabriel. Gabriel will deliver a prophetic message about Israel's future.

Darius became king when Babylon fell to Medo-Persia. Daniel compared this to writings from Jeremiah, and realized the exile of Israel was almost over. As he prayed for God's intervention, the angel Gabriel arrived to provide further explanation. Gabriel's prophecy ties the arrival of an "anointed one," or "Messiah," or "Christ," to a moment in history followed by a set interval of time. This prediction includes dire moments for Israel and Jerusalem.

This chapter forms part of the prophetic section of Daniel's writing. After confessing the sins of both Israel and his own life, Daniel received a visit from the angel Gabriel. Gabriel revealed a message about Israel's then-future. This includes reference to the arrival of Christ and information about the still-future end times. Chapter 10 begins the last of Daniel's prophetic messages.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.