Daniel’s Prayer
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” Daniel 2:20-22
The setting for Daniel’s Prayer in the passage above is this: Daniel was a young Israelite noble who had been taken as a prisoner of war to Babylon where he was put into the service of king Nebuchadnezzar as one of the king’s advisors, or “wise men.” The king, acting rashly, threatened to execute all the wise men unless one of them could tell him his dream and interpret it. Daniel asks the king for a little time so he can seek God for the answer.
God answers and reveals to him the dream and its interpretation, and in response Daniel prays this wonderful prayer of recognition and thanks. He recognizes and praises God as the sovereign authority over all worldly affairs.
Specifically, Daniel’s prayer recognizes and applauds God’s sovereignty in three areas. First, he recognizes God’s sovereignty over nature (“He changes times and seasons.”). Jesus’ disciples experienced this sovereignty when Jesus calmed the storm, causing them to exclaim in amazement, “Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:27)
Second, Daniel recognizes God’s sovereign authority over kings and kingdoms (“He deposes kings and raises up others.”). And third, Daniel recognizes God’s sovereign authority over knowledge (“He reveals deep and hidden things.”). Daniel recognizes God as the source of wisdom, knowledge, and light and gives Him all the glory.
There’s a good lesson here for us: When we face difficult circumstances, and we will at some point if not today, we should approach God with confidence, recognizing His sovereign authority in our lives and over our affairs, and we should ask specifically for His intervention in accordance with His perfect will. God is faithful and He will answer and accomplish His purpose.
Do you recognize and praise God for His sovereign authority?
Having begun as a guest speaker in 2005, Dan was appointed Interim Pastor in 2008 and has been serving Maple Root Baptist ever since. As a small group leader and Chaplin for the Connecticut Tigers, Dan has a heart for the lost and the God that saves them.