A prayer from Daniel's heart to God's

One of the most wonderful gifts we have in Scripture, a part from the revelation of Jesus Christ, is to be able to hear the prayers of godly men and women. Daniel, a prophet of God during the Israel’s captivity in Babylon, gives us a glimpse of a prayer that is rooted in God’s Word and empowered by a deep longing for God’s revered name. It is rooted in God’s promises and literally “holds God at His word”

Daniel’s prayer not only gives us another model of prayer, it again shows us how to pray with a Biblical perspective and motivation while encouraging us to pray God’s promises. Today we are only going to look at the first part of Daniels prayer; Daniel 9:1-14

“In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom-in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:

"O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
"Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. "Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.”

First thing I notice here is that Daniel’s prayer comes after he has studied the Scriptures. Look what he said , “I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet…” here is great wisdom for us as mothers and wives…hear from God first then pray! How else is God going to speak to us, unless we study and understand what He has already said? Often we pray and put our pettition forth and then we look in God's Word how they will match. What a different perspective that Daniel has. Read and study the Word, THEN gear your prayer in accordance to what God says. Daniel says “he understood from the Scriptures” Specifically, he was reading the book of Jeremiah which told of Israel’s captivity and judgments.
What are you, right now, studying in the Scriptures? What did you read this week? Take those words and pray in that light...put the Word of God over your mind and heart and let it scrutinize you emotions and thoughts. Look at your children under that light. How can you pray this comfort?...How can you warn them? Can you pray softer hearts? A repenting heart? Can you pray one of God's promises for them?

Dr. James Boice in his commentary on Daniel says “Daniel did not have our Bible. But he had some of it, and he studied what he had. Then after he knew what the promises of God given in Scripture were, he prayed about them, asking God to do what he had promised”
Some of us do not have the Biblical understanding that others might, BUT we have enough. It is not that we need more understanding it is that unless we apply and believe what we do know, God can not add more. I have heard over and over, “If I just knew more…” “I just don’t get it and I don’t know how to apply it…or teach it” Let me encourage you that YOU DO KNOW enough. Daniel did not have all the Scriptures but what he had, he studied and pulled out God’s promises and then he pleaded those promises before God. What promises do you know of God? Even if you only know one or two…claim them…pray them…take God at His word and wait on Him fulfill those promises.

Second thing I notice is that after Daniel studied he had the right perspective to pray. Always we begin with a “God-view”. He starts “Great and awesome…” “Who keeps His covenant of love...” Once God’s presence is established he moves into man’s position under God’s Holiness. The only position we can take under God’s eminence is a lowly one. But what I love about Daniel here is not that he sees Israel’s sinful rebellion against God, but it is that he includes himself. He does not say ‘Those people” or “Your people” but he says “we”. If I counted correctly, Daniel uses the inclusive word “we” 11 times…He also uses the word “us” 6 times. He does not see himself as one “above” God’s reproach but one who is a part of His covenant Israel. He did not distance himself from God’s people but rather identifies himself intimately with them through his confession.
How often when I confess sin, do I have a tendency to confess the sins of others or even when I am confessing my sins I do it in a manner that excuses my sin rather than repenting of it? If there is anyone who could have removed himself from this group of “sinners” would be Daniel. Nothing in the Scripture is ever said about Daniel except that he was an example of godly ways. He never compromised. He never forsook God’s ways while living in wicked Babylon for 67 years. Yet here I find him identifying himself with sinful Israel. We need to be careful not to distance ourselves so much from sinners that we become pious. When we pray for our children and husband, let us remember that the same temptations that fall on them fall on us. Their sins are not unknown to us. When we loose sight of that, we can’t plead for them. Personal identification with sinners is what makes God’s grace so magnificent. When we pray for those we love to come to Christ, we can pray “If me, why not them”

Daniel had a clear view of God after he had studied the Scritures. From there he proceeded to a fervent prayer which included God's indictment and just dealings with his people and His promises to bring them out. Each of us as Christians are the temple of the Lord. And it was the Lord in Isaiah 56:7 and then Jesus in the Gospels who said "My house will be a house of prayer" God speaks through His word and we must respond in prayer.


Heavenly Father, You are righteous and Holy. Your glory is expressed all around me. Your Word reveals your character, your promises, your will. I may not understand it all, but I understand enough. Help me to apply your Word to my circumstances. Add to my understanding faith to believe all you have said. I confess my lack of unbelief. I confess my doubts, my fear, my anxiousness. I covet what you have not given me, forgive me. I have been selfish with my time, forgive me. You alone can restore. Give me an undivided heart that I may pursue all of you… that I may stand on your promises for me and my family. I pray for my little one’s restless heart now…bring her peace. I pray for our children’s heart that they may flee evil and not rebel against your Word. Be merciful to them. Thank you for your promises…that if we confess our sins you will forgive and recall them no more. Thank you that you promise that in our weakness your strength is made perfect. Thank you that you comfort us so we may also comfort others. Thank you that you never leave us or forsake us. Amen