Daniel 9:4 - I prayed to Yahweh my God, and made confession, and said, “Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,
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What does "Daniel 9:4" mean?
Daniel 9:4 is a powerful expression of prayer and humility before God. Let's break down what it means:
"I prayed to Yahweh my God, and made confession..."
This establishes that Daniel is in a posture of prayer, specifically addressing God by his covenant name, Yahweh (often translated as "Lord").
He is also engaged in "confession." This means he is acknowledging and admitting wrongdoing, both his own and that of his people. Confession is a crucial aspect of repentance and seeking forgiveness.
"...and said, “Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God..."
Here, Daniel is ascribing attributes of greatness and awesomeness to God. "Great" speaks to His power, majesty, and incomparable nature.
"Dreadful" (or "awesome" in some translations) acknowledges the fear and respect due to God's holiness and power. It's not necessarily "dreadful" in a negative sense, but rather inspires reverence and awe.
"...who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments..."
This highlights God's faithfulness to His promises. He is a covenant-keeping God, meaning He is reliable and true to the agreements He has made with His people.
"Loving kindness" (Hebrew: chesed) is a key concept in the Old Testament. It encompasses God's steadfast love, mercy, grace, and faithfulness.
The phrase "...with those who love him and keep his commandments" emphasizes that God's covenant love and kindness are particularly directed toward those who are obedient to Him. It points to the reciprocal nature of the covenant relationship: God's faithfulness is met with the faithfulness of His people in loving and obeying Him.
In Summary:
Daniel 9:4 is a profound statement recognizing God's greatness, power, holiness, and faithfulness. It's a confession of sin and an acknowledgment of God's covenant relationship with those who love and obey Him. The verse sets the stage for Daniel's prayer by establishing the nature of the God he is addressing and the basis of his appeal: God's character and covenant promises. This verse encapsulates a key theological understanding in the Old Testament: God's character is both awesome and loving, and He is faithful to His promises to those who are faithful to Him. It is a declaration of God's attributes, the condition on which God's love is conditioned, and a confession, all rolled into one.
Daniel 9:4 - I prayed to Yahweh my God, and made confession, and said, “Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,
What does "Daniel 9:4" mean?
Daniel 9:4 is a powerful expression of prayer and humility before God. Let's break down what it means:
"I prayed to Yahweh my God, and made confession..."
This establishes that Daniel is in a posture of prayer, specifically addressing God by his covenant name, Yahweh (often translated as "Lord").
He is also engaged in "confession." This means he is acknowledging and admitting wrongdoing, both his own and that of his people. Confession is a crucial aspect of repentance and seeking forgiveness.
"...and said, “Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God..."
Here, Daniel is ascribing attributes of greatness and awesomeness to God. "Great" speaks to His power, majesty, and incomparable nature.
"Dreadful" (or "awesome" in some translations) acknowledges the fear and respect due to God's holiness and power. It's not necessarily "dreadful" in a negative sense, but rather inspires reverence and awe.
"...who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments..."
This highlights God's faithfulness to His promises. He is a covenant-keeping God, meaning He is reliable and true to the agreements He has made with His people.
"Loving kindness" (Hebrew: chesed) is a key concept in the Old Testament. It encompasses God's steadfast love, mercy, grace, and faithfulness.
The phrase "...with those who love him and keep his commandments" emphasizes that God's covenant love and kindness are particularly directed toward those who are obedient to Him. It points to the reciprocal nature of the covenant relationship: God's faithfulness is met with the faithfulness of His people in loving and obeying Him.
In Summary:
Daniel 9:4 is a profound statement recognizing God's greatness, power, holiness, and faithfulness. It's a confession of sin and an acknowledgment of God's covenant relationship with those who love and obey Him. The verse sets the stage for Daniel's prayer by establishing the nature of the God he is addressing and the basis of his appeal: God's character and covenant promises. This verse encapsulates a key theological understanding in the Old Testament: God's character is both awesome and loving, and He is faithful to His promises to those who are faithful to Him. It is a declaration of God's attributes, the condition on which God's love is conditioned, and a confession, all rolled into one.