Daniel 9:19
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Daniel 9:19
19 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.
Chapter Context
Daniel 9 is a apocalyptic and narrative chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of judgment, discipleship, love. Written during the Babylonian and Persian periods (c. 605-530 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Demonstrates faithful living under foreign rule during the Babylonian and Persian empires.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-27: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it offers practical wisdom for godly living in a fallen world. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Daniel and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Daniel 9:19
19 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.
Analysis
Daniel's prayer concludes with urgent petition: "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." The repeated "O Lord" (three times) creates emphatic urgency through direct address. The rapid imperatives—"hear...forgive...hearken...do...defer not"—pile up petitions demonstrating desperate earnestness. This isn't casual request but fervent pleading for immediate divine action.
The phrase "defer not, for thine own sake" appeals to God's self-interest—His own glory requires acting to restore His people and city. Daniel doesn't primarily argue Israel deserves mercy but that God's reputation demands intervention. The final clause—"thy city and thy people are called by thy name"—repeats the earlier appeal (v. 18): these bear God's name, making their condition reflect on Him. This theological insight grounds effective prayer: appealing to God's glory, not human merit.
This urgent prayer pattern appears throughout Scripture: Moses (Exodus 32:11-13), Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:15-19), Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:6-12). Each appeals to God's glory and promises, not human worthiness. Christ taught similar urgency in the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8), encouraging believers to pray persistently until God answers. Daniel models passionate, theologically grounded intercession that moves heaven.
Historical Context
Daniel prayed this around 538 BC, near the seventy years' completion. His passionate urgency may reflect knowledge that the prophesied time approached, increasing confidence that God would soon act. Indeed, Cyrus's decree followed shortly (Ezra 1:1-4), demonstrating that biblically-informed, passionate prayer preceded and perhaps influenced the timing of divine deliverance.
Reflection
- How does the repeated direct address and piled-up imperatives model passionate urgency in prayer?
- What does appealing to God's glory ("for thine own sake") rather than human merit teach about effective prayer theology?
- How should biblical promises increase confidence and urgency in prayer, as Daniel's awareness of the seventy years fueled passionate petition?
Word Studies
- God: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) H430 - God (plural of majesty)
Cross-References
- References God: Daniel 9:18, Amos 7:2, Ephesians 3:10
- References Lord: Jeremiah 14:7, 14:9
- Parallel theme: Numbers 14:19, Luke 11:8, Ephesians 1:12