Scripture Reading: Daniel 9:1-27, 1 Kings 9:6-9, Ephesians 2:1-5
In Shakespeare’s history play, Richard II, John of Gaunt mourns England’s degradation on his deathbed, intoning, “That England, that was wont to conquer others, Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.” The greatness of England was fading away because of its internal corruption. And this is the truth of all civilizations. They collapse from the corruption and rot festering on the inside.
Repeatedly in Scripture, we also see the children of Israel making a shameful conquest of themselves. There will always be some battle raging, but it’s not a fight against governments and revolutions; the battle is spiritual. The battle is for and in our own hearts. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul arms himself with powerful weapons, urging us to: “Pray at all times in the Spirit, with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18).
Centuries before Paul, Daniel relies on the same principle. The fulfillment of God’s promise to restore the conquered city of Jerusalem and its exiled people was at hand, and Daniel recognized that this providential showering of grace was an opportunity to fix all his hope on God. Israel had fallen to conquest precisely because it had walked in pride and unrepentance. It had rotted from the inside.
Daniel’s prayer is not about self-reliance, or newfound worthiness to return to their homeland. He recognizes that righteousness belongs to God alone (Daniel 9:7). His grace alone, His provision alone is sufficient. He alone can root out the inward-rottenness and make us a new creation, a new nation, and a royal priesthood for Himself.
Daniel prayed: “We are not presenting our petitions before you based on our righteous acts, but based on your abundant compassion. Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and act! My God, for your own sake, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name” (Daniel 9:18–19).
Like Daniel, our focus must be on our continual need of God’s provision. He must lay conquest to our hearts, that we may not be given over to self-destruction. He alone is righteous and able to save (Daniel 9:7). And, like Daniel, we have this great comfort: He does save. He hears the cries of His people, and restores the inheritance of His saints. He does not leave us as orphans and exiles (John 14:18), but in His own righteousness, He mightily saves.
The restoration of Jerusalem was a foreshadowing of the restoration of Christ, who has made a glorious conquest of the human heart. He has conquered our hearts and become our confidence, hope, joy, and strength founded upon the unchanging and transforming righteousness of God.
Written by Rebecca Faires
Leave a Reply
66 thoughts on "Daniel’s Prayer"
I’ve been in a rush all day. The devo is great along with all the comments. It saddens me how far away from God our country has strayed. I will be down on my knees in prayer.
❤️❤️
He hears the cries of His people. Not because of our worthiness but because He alone is righteous, grace filled and compassionate. Amen
Yesterday’s and today’s readings and devotions and comments help me to remember what the book of Daniel is all about, instead of getting overwhelmed by prophetic words and visions.
.
He saves me. Period.
It is not what we can ever do,
but what He always does.
If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Song share:
Heal Our Land by Michael Card
So many thanks to all of you praying for relief of pain in my back. I’m no longer crying in pain, so I know prayers are being answered. I’m praying for continued relief.
Praying for you, Teresa! Back pain is no fun. Even though I had back surgery a year ago, I still feel the change of weather which seems to be pretty often. Sunday was a miserable day for me. I find that the dual action advil back product and heat does really well.
agreed. I have had back pain for my whole adult life.
praying for those with chronic pain of all kinds, and Praise Teresa that you got some relief!!
God has definitely turned mine around from a couple of years of more crippling pain, and I am thankful for that! God uses physical pain though just as he does emotional pain, to get our attention back on Him!
❤❤❤
As I read today’s selection, I felt lead to pray this over our nation and repent for my part in any of the sin. I loved Daniel’s humility to repent on behalf of his nation! Let’s face it if Daniel felt convicted, I for sure should see the need to repent! May I continue to fall on my knees daily for the sin in our world.
Praying for all of you and for our prodigals! Have a blessed day!
Amen, Cheryl ❤
Amen
yes, amen Cheryl!!
❤️
This prayer just breaks me! It is what my heart cries out for our cities, states and nation. (And for Israel.) We have gone so astray, it is shocking really. What is wrong is right, and what is right is wrong..is more apparent than ever. I just can’t make sense of it. And then even Christians are divided today on many things that don’t make sense to me. So this prayer of Daniel’s is my hearts cry as well. I think I might have to read it out loud from here on out. (it’s not really one I remember!) It is a time not to get afraid and anxious of how far removed from Christ our great nation has gone…but Because of his great mercy and grace to CRY out to him with humble hearts, love for him, to forgive our sins against him, for disobeying his commands, living in sin without conviction, doing it our own way. But God, YOU, for your namesake, forgive us!! With Christ, you have. But that is not a license to sin. In the age of Grace, we forget he still tells us to obey his word and established boundaries.
We take it as going to church and do our best. But really, doing our best is not dying to ourselves and the things we deem as “okay.” We must refuse to live lukewarm with Christ. That is detestable to him. If we know what we know, we want to live for him in all areas of our lives. For He gave his life for me, so I shall live. Thank heavens for that, that we shall never die and live forever in His presence. But while I’m here, there’s work to be done. We shall not be idle. We say Yes, Lord, what do you have for me?! Lead me, use me, change me, sanctify me.
Daniel “was studying” the writings of the prophets! Then it says “I learned from the word of the Lord.” When we stay in the word, our eyes will continue to be opened. Our ears hear what God is revealing for the past, present, and future. This is how we make sense of the world and our own life. We KNOW HIM. He treasure him. We praise and worship him. And we know comfort and peace from him. He saved Daniel from the wrath of every king. He saved him from being eaten alive in a den of lions. He saved his friends from a fiery furnace. His faith saw miracle after miracle. And the same in my life- miracles upon miracles! So I know, that I know, that I know! It’s too good not to believe. So I can not settle for lukewarm faith anymore! Church is everyday. We pray faithfully and fully the way Danielle did in today’s reading! Yes, We have Jesus, and more of God’s great scriptures! Hallelujah for that!! Even more reason to rejoice and know that he is in charge of all things, we only need to stay in obedience and trust!
Thank you for your continual prayers for Brayden. He has court today that will determine if he is released today or will stay there for his trial or plea. I assume he will stay there because he doesn’t really have anywhere established to go. I just ask that you pray for him to stay strong. 18..so young to be in an adult jail. So young to even grasp the situation. He has been there a month now. I can’t imagine the stark difference of his life up to this moment and now. It breaks my heart.
Praying for God to move in Brayden’s life for Brayden’s good and according to His plan. Prayers for wisdom/discernment for the presiding judge, and prayers for your ‘Grandma heart’ through all of this!
To God be the glory! ❤
Praying for Brayden ❤️
I remember months ago, when there seemed to be a possibility of him living with you after graduation. Oh, so sorry things have turned out this way. Continuing to pray for him. And for Aleida’s Victor, and our other young-person situations!
As I read the devo and Scripture this song immediately came to mind and I love singing along with the chorus!
☺
SONG SHARES:
Matthew West – Good (Lyric Video) – partial lyrics here:
–
I’m good at always falling down
You’re good at never giving up
I’m good at getting turned around
You’re good at saying I’m still loved
And I was wrecked by mercy
The day I understood
I’m not loved because I’m worthy
I’m loved because You’re good
Loved because You’re God
I’m loved because You’re faithful to me even when I’m not
Oh God You are so good
When there’s nothing good in me
Just a grateful sinner saved by You
Is all I have be
☺
As I went to retrieve that song, a new song by Matthew West popped up. These lyrics fit today’s reading, too -beautiful melody as well.
.
Matthew West – Heaven Will Tell (Lyric Video)
–
One day Heaven will tell the story
Of all the plans You had for me
How You worked it all for my good
Just like You said You would
One day Heaven will tell of Your goodness
And I’ll see how You led me through this
The Savior who brought me through hell
Is the story that Heaven will tell
All my questions will turn in to answers
But by then, oh, it won’t
even matter
When I stand face to face with the God of all grace
This world will fade into forever
.
Love, hugs, and prayers! ❤
Oh that second song—I will send those words to Brayden! I have never heard it!
The first song I heard yesterday and thought how good it was, the words.
❤❤❤
Cool! I have heard Good many times, but it was fresh in my mind since I heard it on the radio yesterday, too! ☺
The other video just posted 4 days ago so new to me. ❤
Daniel was told that he was greatly loved, by God, through an angel..I cant imagine hearing that…amazing but we are also greatly loved by God as well. We have an entire Book to tell us how great the Father’s love is towards us!
Similar to my thoughts today Erica. ☺ See my song share. We posted almost the same time. ☺❤
We could (should?!?!) so easily pray Daniel’s prayer on our behalf and that of the world around us. We are such a lost, broken, wayward people. Daniel’s posture and approach of humility, his burden for those around him is so evident in these words. I’m not sure that my own sin truly grieves me enough and that I can easily overlook how it really separates me from God, and I think I can too easily brush past the brokeness around me and chalk it up to “just the way people are”. What if I confessed to the Lord with a humble heart and pleaded with Him for mercy on behalf of those around me, if I prayed as Daniel did…”Lord hear us! Lord forgive us!….”? What if we as followers of Jesus prayed and lived, and cared and were burdened as Daniel was? This is a challenge for me today.
We don’t deserve what Jesus has done for us and yet, here we are…thank you Lord for your mercy, grace, forgiveness, patience and faithfulness.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great lovear that he had for us,made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Eph 2:4-5
Love this Wendy! Amen!
Amen! How are you doing, Wendy? ❤
❤️
Continuing to pray for you, Wendy.
Praise be to God the Father Almighty! He meets us exactly where we are and sits with us. In His love, He moves us away from what once was and helps us step into new life. Thank you Jesus for your ever present faithfulness!!
Amen! ❤
As I read the devo this morning and then moved on to the Scriptures, ‘hello, 2026’ came to mind. Not just my country, the US, but every country.
.
Daniel 9:5 “… we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.”
.
Daniel 9:8-10 8 “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10 We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.
.
Daniel 9:13 “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth.
.
Yet how often do we see a person or a country owning the shame of face they should feel before God? I’m regularly shocked by the things being accepted as ‘right’ and ‘perfectly okay’ rather than us being brought to our knees before Almighty God and admitting Daniel 9:15b … we have sinned, we have done wickedly!
.
We should do as Daniel did, each of us praying and confessing our sins and the sins of our countries to Yahweh our God, remembering that we are loved by Him even in the midst of sin’s consequences.
.
Lord, we humble ourselves before You and pray for Your mercy, Your grace, Your guidance, Your wisdom, Your discipline, Your redemption and pray that all would realize their sin and their need of salvation that can only come through You.
.
Reminded of the bluegrass song, Daniel Prayed, written by Ralph Stanley, 2005, sung by many
.
I heard about a man one day who wasted not his time away
He prayed to God every morning noon and night
He cared not for the things of man he trusted one who would not fail
Oh, Daniel prayed every morning, noon, and night
.
Oh, Daniel served the living God while here upon this earth he trod
He prayed to God every morning noon and night
He cared not for the kings decree he trusted God to set him free
And he prayed to God every morning, noon, and night
.
They cast him in the lion’s den because he would not honor men
He prayed to God every morning noon and night
The jaws were locked and it made him shout, and God soon got them
Safely out
Oh, Daniel prayed every morning, noon, and night
.
Now brother, let us watch and pray like Daniel did from day to day
He prayed to God every morning noon and night
We too can gladly daring do the things that God will take us through
Oh, Daniel prayed every morning, noon, and night
.
MERCY ❤️ praying for recovery❣️
CEE GEE ❤️
B ❤️
FOSTER MAMA ❤️
MARTHA HIX ❤️
MARGARET W ❤️
TERESA COOPER DONLEY ❤️ praying for your pain relief in your back! Sitting here with my heating pad to help ease my back pain this morning.
(heart)
Praying over these! My heating pad is my companion during my devos!!
❤️
Great shares, Searching! I’ll check out that song, too. ❤❤❤
We must be the heating pad generation. I have my seat warmer on wherever I go. It feels so good on my back.
❤️
Thank you for your prayers. And praying for relief for you, too.
I’m amazed at how many of you are also sitting with heating pads! Praying for relief ❤️
I have been breaking out my ice pad so much the past few months, usually right after a hot bath. It helps me a lot!
Remember as we age we need to keep our core strong! The less we do the weaker it becomes, then when we do engage in a movement that is different or longer than were used to we are more susceptible to strain, ie pain.
Thank you Searching❤️
Praying for everyone’s backs and relief from pain.
I was using my heating pad last night as well for my lower back.
Thank you for your recommendations!❤️
the word treasured automatically brought me to the birth story. mary treasured these things in her heart. and just like daniel, gabriel came to Mary and told her she was highly favored. what a dream! the eldest daughter in me longs to hear those words. Lanie you are treasured by God. and I am. and Daniel reminds us not because of our righteous acts but because of who God is, because of what Jesus did. I love that someone yesterday said Jesus work was already finished in the Isaiah passage. I can’t help but wonder, if Gabriel is the one to come and give Daniel the timeline of the messiah’s arrival bc he was there at the moment of conception.
Sweet parallel, Lanie; thank you! ❤
I was dead in my sin
.
Gratifying the cravings of my flesh
.
By nature, deserving wrath
.
But God – who is rich in mercy
.
Made me alive with Christ
.
By grace I have been saved
– – –
Daniel’s prayer is one we could all pray. None of us are righteous, none of us are deserving of anything but God’s wrath. But praise God for His grace, His mercy, His salvation and for the precious blood of Christ that cleanses us from all our sin.
– – –
Song that comes to mind this morning “Because He Lives” by Matt Maher, especially this verse:
.
I was dead in the grave
I was covered in sin and shame
I heard mercy call my name
He rolled the stone away
Amen, Amen
I’m alive, I’m alive because He lives
Amen, Amen
Let my song join the One that never ends
Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
Every fear is gone
I know
He holds
My life
My future in His hands
– – –
@Teresa Cooper Donley – praying that your visits to the chiropractor ease the pain you are suffering in your back.
– – –
Have a blessed day my sweet sisters.
Amen! ❤
Thank you, Sharon ❤️
We are more than conquerers though Him
“At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God.”
.
God responds to our prayers out of His compassion and mercy. We are “treasured” by Him because we were bought with the price of His Son.
.
TERESA DONLEY – joining the others in prayer for you back to be restored to health.
.
RHONDA J – continued prayers for your family and the trials y’all are going through.
.
MERCY – praying the Lord brings you strength in your rough season.
.
TAMI – thank you for being faithful to post the “prodigal“ list
Joining you in prayer ❤️
“We are “treasured” by Him because we were bought with the price of His Son.”
Amen!
Isn’t that beautiful and PRAISE- worthy?!!! ❤❤❤
See mt song shares ☺
Praying for all
Thank you, Kelly ❤️
Amen!
How often have we prayed this prayer for our own land, Ladies? In deep humility, confessing our sin and the sin of our people – from the top to the bottom in the chain of leadership. Not because of any good in us, but because of Your great mercy, please restore us to Your truth and righteousness!
Amen and amen.
Amen ❤️
Amen!
Titus 3:3-7
Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. 4 But—
When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.[a] 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.
❤️
Daniel prayed: As does Tina “We/I are/am not presenting our/my petitions before you based on our/my righteous acts, or my moral correctness definitely not! I have sinned through word, thought and action, daily..BUT based on YOUR abundant compassion. YOUR grace and mercy. Lord, hear us! Lord, forgive us! Lord, listen and act! My God, for your own sake, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name.. Help us Lord to be a better people.. for your glory.. in Jesus’s name..
.
BUT GOD..
.
AMEN..
.
.
Happy Tuesday my people, covered in much love and prayers..❤️❤️
He mightily saves.. I love this truth..
I forgot to mention!❤️
Amen ❤️
Amen!
❤❤❤
❤️ Amen!
Amen ❤️
Amen
❤️❤️❤️