Daniel 9:4

"I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes."

Key Reflection

In first-century Israel, Daniel's act of setting his face to the Lord God was a profound declaration of dedication. This gesture, often performed by turning one’s back on an idol altar and facing Jerusalem, symbolized a commitment to prayer and fasting—a practice rooted in seeking divine favor and acknowledging God’s sovereignty. By invoking sackcloth and ashes, Daniel ritually expressed deep sorrow and penitence, reflecting the gravity of his petition.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

And I prayed unto the Lord my God -Evidently a set and formal prayer. It would seem probable that; he offered this prayer, and then re corded the substance of it afterward. We have no reason to suppose that we have the whole of it, but we have doubtless its principal topics. And made my confession -Not as an individual, or not of his own sins only, but a confession in behalf of the people, and in their name. There is no reason to suppose that what he here says did “not” express their feelings. They had been long in captivity - far away from their desolate city and temple.

More from Daniel 9

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