Daniel's Prayer of Confession
In Babylon, after reading Jeremiah's prophecy that the exile would end after seventy years, Daniel fell to his knees in sackcloth and ashes, confessing not only his sins but the sins of his entire nation.
Daniel's prayer occurs in the context of the Babylonian captivity, where he recognizes through Jeremiah's prophecy that the seventy years of exile are nearing completion. In response, he offers a heartfelt confession of Israel's repeated disobedience and rebellion against God while affirming divine justice in the judgment. Daniel then intercedes for the forgiveness and restoration of Jerusalem and the temple, appealing to God's mercy and covenant promises. This prayer holds significance in Scripture as it precedes the revelation of the seventy weeks prophecy and exemplifies effective intercession based on repentance and reliance on God's character.
Details
- Category
- Confession
- Prayed by
- Daniel
Key Chapters
Key Passages
The Prayer
Daniel 9:4-19
Daniel's prayer shows how humble confession and trust in God's mercy open the door to His forgiveness and restoring grace.
4nd 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;
Did You Know?
Daniel included himself in the confession even though he was personally faithful ('we have sinned').
He based his prayer on God's character and covenant faithfulness, not on Israel's deserving.
This prayer is one of the great models of corporate confession in the Bible.