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From: Daniel 9:4b-10

Daniel’s Penitentional Prayer

[4b] “O Lord, the great and terrible God, who keepest covenant and steadfast
love with those, who love him and’ keep his commandments, [5] we have sinned
and done wrong’ and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from thy com-
mandments and ordinances; [6] we have not listened to thy servants the prophets,
who spoke in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the
people of the land. [7] To thee, O LORD, belongs righteousness, but to us confu-
sion of face, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and to all Israel, those that are near and those that are far away, in all the lands to
which thou hast driven them,because of the treachecy which they have committed
against thee. [8] To us, O LORD, belongs confusion of face, to, our kings, to our
princes, and to our fathers; because we have sinned against thee. [9] To the Lord
our God belong mercy and forgiveness; because we have rebelled against him,
[10] and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by following his laws,
which he set before us by his servants the prophets.”

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Commentary:

9:4-19. This is a penitential prayer in which Daniel speaks in solidarity with his
people and intercedes on their behalf. He acknowledges that God has acted just-
ly in punishing the people by driving them out of the chosen land (vv. 4-8), but he
reminds God that he is also forgiving and merciful (v. 9). They have been punished
in line with the Law of Moses (v. 13), but God, who delivered them from Egypt (v.
15), will surely listen to his servants when they appeal to him, for his mercy is
great (v. 18). If he forgives them, it will redound to the honor of God’s name (vv.
17, 19). Commenting on v. 18, St Jerome observes: “Daniel expresses himself in
human terms: when we are listened to, it seems as if God has inclined his ear to
us; when he turns to look at us, it seems as if he has opened his eyes; and when
he turns his face away, it is as if we are not worthy of being heard or to appear in
his sight” (”Commentarii in Danielem”, 9, 18). St Basil, on another point, notes
that Daniel’s fasting prepares the ground for the revelation that follows: “Daniel
would not have seen the vision if he had not first refined his soul by fasting” (”De
Jejunio”, 1,9). For penitential prayers similar to this, see Ezra 9:6-15; Neh 9; Ps
51; Bar 1:15-3:8. Although Daniel’s prayer is about the ordeal of exile, it is valid
at all times. The Church, too, “embracing in her bosom sinners, at same time
holy and always in need of being purified, always follows the way, of penance
and renewal” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 8).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.