What Does Daniel 9:4 Mean?

Daniel begins his prayer: "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." The address "the great and dreadful God" combines reverent awe (recognizing God's transcendent majesty and power) with appropriate fear (acknowledging His holiness and justice). This balanced view prevents both flippant familiarity and paralyzing terror.

The phrase "keeping the covenant and mercy" grounds prayer in God's revealed character. Daniel appeals not to his own merit but to God's covenant faithfulness. The Hebrew chesed (חֶסֶד, "mercy") denotes steadfast covenant love—God's loyal commitment to His promises. The condition "to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments" quotes Deuteronomy 7:9, demonstrating Daniel's Scripture-saturated prayer. He recognizes that covenant blessings flow to those who maintain covenant faithfulness.

This opening establishes prayer's proper foundation: approaching God through His revealed character and promises rather than human presumption or works. Daniel doesn't demand or manipulate but appeals to divine mercy grounded in covenant commitment. This models Reformed prayer theology: confidence based on God's promises in Christ, not our worthiness. Christ, the mediator of a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6), enables believers to approach God's throne with confidence (Hebrews 4:16), appealing to covenant mercy through His blood.