Incline 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. Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear;Daniel appeals personally to God for attentive hearing as he prays on behalf of Jerusalem and the exiled people of Judah. Though God is exalted above all nations, He is able and willing to hear the cries of those who seek Him. Psa 86:1 A prayer of David. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me,… open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. Jerusalem lay in ruins after Babylon destroyed it and the temple in 586 BC. Because God had chosen the city as the place associated with His name and worship, its desolation displayed both the seriousness of Israel’s sin and the need for God to restore what had been judged. 2Ki 19:16 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes,… For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, Daniel includes himself among the people in confessing that they have no moral claim upon God’s favor. Their exile resulted from persistent covenant unfaithfulness, and restoration could not be earned by human effort. Deu 9:4-6 When the LORD your God has driven them out before you,… but because of Your great compassion. Daniel rests his appeal on God’s merciful character. He asks the Lord to forgive, restore Jerusalem, and vindicate His name among the nations through grace rather than Israel’s merit. Neh 9:31 But in Your great compassion, You did not put an end… Persons / Places / Events 1. DanielA prophet and a man of prayer, Daniel is interceding for his people, Israel, and the desolate city of Jerusalem. 2. God The sovereign Lord to whom Daniel directs his prayer, appealing to His compassion and mercy. 3. Jerusalem The city that bears God's name, currently in desolation due to the people's sin and subsequent exile. 4. Exile The period during which the Israelites were taken captive to Babylon, a result of their disobedience to God. 5. Babylon The empire where Daniel and the Israelites are exiled, representing a place of judgment and foreign domination. Teaching Points The Power of Intercessory PrayerDaniel's prayer demonstrates the importance of interceding for others, especially in times of national or communal crisis. Appealing to God's Character Our prayers should be grounded in the nature of God—His compassion, mercy, and faithfulness—rather than our own righteousness. Acknowledging Our Unworthiness Recognizing our own sinfulness and unworthiness is crucial in approaching God, as it shifts the focus from self to God's grace. The Importance of Confession Confession is a vital part of prayer, acknowledging our failures and seeking God's forgiveness and restoration. Hope in Desolation Even in times of desolation and despair, there is hope in God's compassion and the possibility of restoration. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Daniel's approach to prayer in Daniel 9:18 reflect his understanding of God's character?2. In what ways can we incorporate intercessory prayer into our daily lives, especially for our communities and nations? 3. How does acknowledging our unworthiness before God change the way we pray and live? 4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure our prayers are grounded in God's compassion rather than our own perceived righteousness? 5. How can the hope found in God's compassion and mercy encourage us during times of personal or communal desolation? Connections to Other Scriptures 2 Chronicles 7:14This verse emphasizes the importance of humility, prayer, and seeking God's face, similar to Daniel's approach in his prayer. Psalm 51:1 David's plea for mercy based on God's unfailing love and compassion parallels Daniel's appeal to God's great compassion. Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love and mercies of God are highlighted, reinforcing the basis of Daniel's appeal. Nehemiah 1:6 Nehemiah's prayer for the people of Israel echoes Daniel's intercessory prayer, focusing on confession and seeking God's favor. Luke 18:13 The tax collector's prayer for mercy, acknowledging his unworthiness, reflects the humility in Daniel's prayer.
People Ahasuerus, Daniel, Darius, Gabriel, Jeremiah, NahumPlaces Egypt, Greece, JerusalemTopics Account, Acts, Bears, Behold, Causing, Compassion, Compassions, Desolation, Desolations, Ear, Fall, Ground, Hearing, Incline, Manifold, Mercies, Mercy, Merits, Named, O, Offering, Open, Petitions, Prayers, Present, Presenting, Requests, Righteous, Righteousness, Righteousnesses, Sake, Supplications, Town, Turn, WasteDictionary of Bible Themes Daniel 9:18 5036 mind, of God 1065 God, holiness of Library Daniel: a Pattern for Pleaders"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 9:19. DANIEL was a man in very high position in life. It is true he was not living in his own native land, but, in the providence of God, he had been raised to great eminence under the dominion of the country in which he dwelt. He might, therefore, naturally have forgotten his poor kinsmen; many have done so. Alas! we have known some that have … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 61: 1915 The Man and the Book. Whether the Time of the Future Judgment is Unknown? That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken Formerly, this was the Second Time of Its Desolation. A Brief Account of Its History. From the Supplement to the Summa --Question Lxxii of the Prayers of the Saints who are in Heaven The Blessing of God. Three Things Briefly to be Regarded in Christ --viz. His Offices of Prophet, King, and Priest. General Account of Jesus' Teaching. Fifthly, as this Revelation, to the Judgment of Right and Sober Reason, Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature The Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible Bespeak the Omniscience of Its Author "And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee," The Sin-Bearer. Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act. The Being of God The Manifestation of the Messiah The Intercession of Christ Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold. Christ's Priestly Office The Scriptures Links Daniel 9:18 NIVDaniel 9:18 NLT Daniel 9:18 ESV Daniel 9:18 NASB Daniel 9:18 KJV Daniel 9:18 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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