O Lord, Forgive!

“O Lord, hear!  O Lord, forgive!  O Lord, listen and take action!  For Thine own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name” (Daniel 9:19).

As Daniel was crying out to God, he confessed the Israelites’ sins and asked God forgiveness.  He confessed that they have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from God’s commandments and ordinances (v.5).  Moreover, they did not listen to God’s servants the prophets (v.6).  They were unfaithful to God (v.7).  Indeed, they have transgressed God’s law and turned aside, not obeying God’s voice (v.11).  So the curse had been poured out on them (v.11).  Yet they had not sought the favor of the Lord their God by turning from their iniquity and giving attention to God’s truth (v.13).  So Daniel and the Israelites presented their supplications before God not on account of any merits of their own but on account of God’s great compassion (v.18).  And they asked God to forgive them for God’s own sake and not their own (v.19).  Wouldn’t God forgive His people for His own sake?  Remember, our God is a forgiving God.