Daniel 9:4 Meaning and Explanation
“And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Confession can become shallow when it focuses only on our failure, or vague when it speaks of God without reverence. Daniel 9:4 gives prayer a firmer beginning. Daniel approaches the God who is great enough to judge rebellion and faithful enough to keep covenant mercy. That knowledge allows him to confess honestly, with hope rooted in God's character.
Daniel begins his confession by addressing the LORD as both awe-inspiring and faithful. He trusts God's covenant mercy while openly preparing to name Israel's sin and disobedience.
The Context of Daniel 9:4
Daniel has learned from Jeremiah's writings that Jerusalem's desolations were appointed for seventy years. In response, he turns to the Lord God with prayer, fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. Verse 4 opens the long prayer that follows. Daniel speaks as an Israelite among a scattered and chastened people, repeatedly saying "we have sinned." The next verses name rebellion, refusal to hear the prophets, and departure from God's law. Later in the prayer Daniel appeals for Jerusalem, the sanctuary, and the people called by God's name. While he is still praying, Gabriel comes with understanding concerning the vision.
What Does Daniel 9:4 Mean?
Daniel calls the LORD "my God," joining personal trust with public confession. He then names God "great and dreadful," language of holy majesty that calls for reverence. The word dreadful does not describe a passing terror. It recognizes that God is worthy of awe and exercises righteous judgment. Yet Daniel immediately remembers that this same God keeps covenant and mercy. God's faithfulness has a moral shape: the verse speaks of those who love him and keep his commandments. Daniel does not present obedience as a claim that Israel has fulfilled. His confession will acknowledge the opposite. He begins by honoring the God whose commands Israel has broken and whose mercy remains sure.
The prayer stands within Israel's covenant story. Daniel knows the exile is connected with the warnings given through Moses and repeated by the prophets. He therefore speaks plainly about corporate sin, including the sins of kings, princes, fathers, and people. At the same time, he appeals to the covenant-keeping God. Mercy is not detached from God's holiness or commandments. It belongs to the faithful relationship God established with his people. Daniel's words teach us to begin repentance by remembering who God is. His righteousness makes sin serious, and his mercy gives confession a truthful place to go. Such prayer refuses excuses and seeks restoration under God's name.
Daniel's address gathers together awe, love, obedience, mercy, and confession. These themes remain central when Scripture speaks of the covenant God drawing near to his people. The chapter later looks toward reconciliation for iniquity and everlasting righteousness, showing that Daniel's plea reaches beyond immediate relief from exile. Christians may also hear a fitting connection with Jesus' teaching that love for him is expressed in keeping his commandments. That connection grows from the covenant pattern already present here, rather than from a borrowed phrase alone. Daniel models a prayerful posture in which love receives God's commands seriously and mercy is sought with humility.
Bible Verses Related to Daniel 9:4
“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;”
- Deuteronomy 7:9
“And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:”
- Nehemiah 1:5
“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;”
- Daniel 9:9
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
- John 14:15
How to Apply Daniel 9:4 Today
When we confess sin, Daniel invites us to begin with God's character. We can name God as holy, great, faithful, and merciful before we begin naming what has gone wrong. This keeps confession from becoming either despair or self-defense. In homes, congregations, and communities, we may also learn from Daniel's use of "we." His prayer accepts shared responsibility for a damaged people without hiding personal sin. We can ask God to show us where our loves and practices have drifted from his commandments, then bring that truth to him in reverence and hope.
Reflection & Prayer
Where do we need a clearer view of God's holiness and covenant mercy as we confess before him? Consider one area where excuses have made honest prayer difficult. Suggested prayer: Great and merciful Lord, teach us to confess truthfully, to love thy ways, and to receive thy mercy with reverence. Amen.