Daniel’s Prayer and Confession

Daniel 9:4–5 (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, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.”

When we confess sin, we have a tendency to confess the sins of other people, or if we do not do that, we confess sin in a manner meant to excuse ourselves. Daniel was not like this. If anyone could have done this, he could have. Nothing bad is said about Daniel in all the Bible. He was only a youth at the time of the fall of Jerusalem, and he had led an exemplary life in the wicked city of Babylon for sixty-seven years. Daniel could have pleaded his innocence. Yet he took the part of his people and confessed his own sin with theirs, saying, “we … we … we … we.”

That is the kind of prayer God honors. Daniel prayed with a highly emotional and moving cry, “O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.” It is no wonder, then, that God sent Gabriel with the revelation with which the chapter ends.[1]

[1] Boice, J. M. (2003). Daniel: an expositional commentary (p. 99). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.