Daniel’s Prayer for His People
Daniel locates the moment in the reign of Darius and says he understood from the sacred books, specifically Jeremiah's word, that Jerusalem's desolation would last seventy years. Rather than treating the prophecy as an excuse for passivity, he turns to the Lord God with prayer, petition, fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. Scripture therefore becomes the catalyst not for detached calculation but for urgent, humbled seeking of God.
I1n the first year of Darius son of Xerxes, a Mede by descent, who was made ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans — 2in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
Daniel begins by addressing God as great, awesome, and covenant-keeping, then confesses that 'we' have sinned, acted wickedly, rebelled, and ignored the prophets. He contrasts God's righteousness and compassion with Israel's shame and disobedience, refusing to separate himself from the guilt of kings, leaders, fathers, and people. The prayer is therefore fully corporate, honoring God's covenant faithfulness while owning the nation's failure without excuse.
4And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments, 5we have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments and ordinances. 6We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land. 7To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame— the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You. 8O LORD, we are covered with shame — our kings, our leaders, and our fathers — because we have sinned against You. 9To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, even though we have rebelled against Him 10and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God to walk in His laws, which He set before us through His servants the prophets.
Daniel acknowledges that all Israel transgressed God's law, and so the oath and curse written in the Law of Moses have been poured out on them. He recognizes Jerusalem's unprecedented disaster as the fulfillment of God's spoken words and admits that even under judgment the people had failed to turn from iniquity and attend to God's truth. Exile and ruin are thus confessed not as accidents of history but as righteous covenant consequences.
11All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey Your voice; so the oath and the curse written in the Law of Moses the servant of God has been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You. 12You have carried out the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us a great disaster. For under all of heaven, nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13Just 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 iniquities and giving attention to Your truth. 14Therefore the LORD has kept the calamity in store and brought it upon us. For the LORD our God is righteous in all He does; yet we have not obeyed His voice.
Daniel appeals to the God who brought Israel out of Egypt and made for Himself a great name, asking in keeping with God's righteous acts that anger turn away from Jerusalem and that His face shine on the desolate sanctuary. He pleads for God to hear, see, forgive, and act, insisting that the petitions are not based on Israel's righteousness but on God's great compassion and on the fact that the city and people bear His name. The prayer culminates in urgent, name-centered intercession for restoration and mercy.
15Now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and who made for Yourself a name renowned to this day, we have sinned; we have acted wickedly. 16O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, I pray that Your anger and wrath may turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all around us. 17So now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, cause Your face to shine upon Your desolate sanctuary. 18Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion. 19O 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.”