Daniel's Prayers

DANIEL’S PRAYERS
After King Nebuchadnezzar's wise men could not interpret a strange dream regarding a great image, King Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be executed. Daniel proceeded to go before the Lord in prayer. Afterward, the secret was revealed to Daniel in a dream. A grateful Daniel then went before the Lord in prayer. It is evident from his prayer how much Daniel loved and reverenced God.

Daniel's Prayer

“Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter”. (Daniel 2:20-23)

Daniel described the dream to King Nebuchadnezzar who, because of his gratitude, made Daniel ruler over the entire province of Babylon and gave him many gifts.

Later in his life, because of Daniel’s excellent spirit, King Darius positioned him over the three presidents in the kingdom. These leaders were jealous of Daniel and tricked the king into making a law concerning prayer that they knew Daniel would not obey. “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” (Daniel 6:10) The envious men then turned Daniel over to the king, who, because of his decree, threw Daniel into the lion’s den, but God intervened by shutting the lions' mouths and Daniel was spared. King Darius then spoke these dynamic words in support of Daniel’s God. "I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions." (Daniel 6:26-27)

There was a time in his life when Daniel grew to be troubled in his heart because of the sins of his people and cried out in repentance to the Lord. His prayer shows us the importance of praying for our people. Daniel had a great love and concern for his people and he was greatly loved by God.

A repentant Prayer of Daniel

“And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 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; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.” (Daniel 9: 3-19)

God's Answer to Daniel after his repentant prayer

While Daniel was still praying, Gabriel, the same angel that appeared to Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to him and told Daniel he was greatly beloved and that he would be given skill and understanding. Daniel was shown several visions of the future, which are specified throughout the book of Daniel. The last verse in the book gives a consecrated promise to Daniel concerning his future. “But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” (Daniel 12:13)