Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Mercies and forgivenesses - From God's goodness flow God's mercies; from his mercies, forgivenesses.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses - Not only does righteousness belong to him in the sense that he has done right, and that he cannot be blamed for what he has done, but mercy and forgiveness belong to him in the sense that he only can pardon, and that these are attributes of his nature.

Though we have rebelled against him - The word used here and rendered “though” (כי kı̂y ) may mean either “though” or “for.” That is, the passage may mean that mercy belongs to God, and we may hope that he will show it, “although” we have been so evil and rebellious; or it may mean that it belongs to him, and he only can show it, “for” we have rebelled against him; that is, our only hope now is in his mercy, “for” we have sinned, and forfeited all claims to his favor. Either of these interpretations makes good sense, but the latter would seem to be most in accordance with the general strain of this part of the prayer, which is to make humble and penitent confession. So the Latin Vulgate “quia.” So Theodotion, ὅτι hoti So Luther and Lengerke, “denn.” In the same way, the passage in Psalm 25:11 is rendered, “For thy name‘s sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for (כי kı̂y ) it is great” - though this passage will admit of the other interpretation, “although it is great.”

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses,.... Mercy is his nature, and what he delights in; it is abundant, and he is plenteous in it the fountain of mercy is with him, and numerous are the streams which flow from it, called "the multitude of his tender mercies"; all temporal favours spring from hence, and so do all spiritual blessings, the sure mercies of David; and particularly the forgiveness of sin, which is the Lord's prerogative, and is according to the tender mercies of our God, and the riches of his grace; and is of all sins, and of all sorts of sinners; he doth abundantly pardon all that apply to him for it, and forgives all trespasses; see Psalm 130:4,

though we have rebelled against him: there is mercy with the Lord, and forgiveness with him, even for rebellious ones; which is an exaggeration and illustration of his pardoning grace and mercy: or, "for we have sinned against him"^F7כי מרדנו "quia rebellavimus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus, Cocceius, Michaelis. ; so that it is a plain case that he is merciful and has forgiven our iniquities, since he has spared us, and not destroyed us, and now is about to put an end to our captivity, according to his promise; and if he had not mercy on us, and did not forgive our sins, we must perish in them, and there would be no hope of salvation for us.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

mercies — The plural intensifies the force; mercy manifold and exhibited in countless ways. As it is humbling to recollect “righteousness belongeth unto God,” so it is comforting, that “mercies belong to the Lord ourGod.”

though we have rebelled — rather, “since,” etc. [Vulgate], (Psalm 25:11). Our punishment is not inconsistent with His “mercies,” since we have rebelled against Him.

James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

MERCIES AND FORGIVENESSES

‘Do the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him.’

Daniel 9:9

And what is God? A Being Whose essence is love. Pity makes His bosom a home. Gentleness dwells with Him. ‘Judgment is His strange work.’ ‘He waits to be gracious.’ He is a ‘Father’ still; and ‘though we have rebelled against Him,’ to ‘Him belongeth mercies and forgivenesses,’ and they cannot be alienated in that heart from any creature He has ever made!

I. It is a true and beautiful order—‘mercies and forgivenesses.’—Mercy is the fountain—forgiveness is the stream. The fountain is perennial, and the stream flows on for ever.

‘Mercy’ is—so the word means,—‘Mercy’ is a heart for misery; and the greater the misery, the larger is ‘mercy’s’ scope. And sinners—only sinners—can claim it. For the promises are all to sinners, and the extent of the sin is the argument for the greatness of the pardon—just as the virulence of a disease is the plea for the strength of the antidote. ‘Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great.’

‘And forgiveness.’ It is a free thing. If it could be bought, if it could be deserved, it would cease to be forgiveness. It is the spontaneous action of a self-creating affection. It is mercy’s firstborn!

And see how richly and lavishly God places both in their plurality. ‘To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses.’

The ‘sins’ are multitudes—the ‘mercies and forgivenesses’ are multitudes. But the last are greater than the former. For the ‘sins’ are legion, but they are finite, because they are man’s sins; ‘the mercies and forgivenesses’ are not finite, they are infinite—for they are God’s ‘mercies and forgivenesses.’

Is not it exactly what we need—unlimited mercies in unnumbered pardons?

II. There can be only one objection to this—Is it just?—It is just. The same mind which planned the mercy has provided for its justice. ‘He found the ransom.’ And the Substitute paid the penalty, and the punishment is over. So that God does but remit a cancelled debt: ‘Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.’ And so the wise man’s word is true, even to the Great Ruler of the universe: ‘Mercy and truth preserve the King; and His throne is upholden by mercy.’

The means, then, are the simplest, and they are to our hand; and the result is sure. Only believe. Then look up. Then look up, with lowly confidence, and with a faith which smiles through its tears, on those wounds, and on Him Who hangs there. And then look back for your burden; you won’t find it; it is gone!

Rev. Jas. Vaughan.

Illustration

‘To no other, but to God only, “belongeth mercy.’ If any man has “mercy,” in any degree, it came from God. And His is so infinitely great, above all other, and so incomparable, that all other is not to be named. God’s “mercy” stands out alone. “To Him belongeth mercy.”’

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Daniel 9:9 To the Lord our God [belong] mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

Ver. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses.] Matchless mercies, pardons ready prepared for poor penitents, not for proud Pharisees, such as Bellarmine was, if at least it be true that is reported of him, that when the priest came to absolve him, he could not remember any particular sin to confess, till he went back in his thoughts as far as his youth. Vae hominum vitae quantumvis laudabili, saith an ancient: Woe to the best, unless they may find mercy with the Lord. And Fuligat telleth us that Bellarmine, when he came to die indeed, begged of God to reckon him among his saints, non aestimator meriti, sed veniae largitor, not weighing his merits, but pardoning his offences.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

How did God show himself merciful, when he punished them so severely?

Answ.

1. Because it was less than their sin deserved, for it was rebellion.

2. Because their punishment was God’s chastisement, which to his people is an act of love and mercy, as you see, Hebrews 12:6-9.

3. Because God preserved them in their captivity, and delivered them from it. They therefore that pray to God under their sin and misery must eye God’s mercies, as well as his justice, Psalms 2:1 130:4. For as the one doth east them down, so the other bears them up, and gives them hope; or else we might he swallowed up of too much sorrow and despair, 2 Corinthians 2:7,11, wherein Satan would be too hard for us, as well as in dedolency or want of godly sorrow.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

9.Though we have rebelled — R.V., “for we have rebelled.” The phrase might even be read, “because we have rebelled.” (Compare Psalms 25:15.)

 

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Mercy. Thou art just, (verse 7.) and sovereignly merciful. He speaks in the name of all. Some had continued faithful; but the number was comparatively inconsiderable. (verse 11.)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.

mercies = compassions.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

To the Lord our God belong mercies - the plural intensifies the force: mercy manifold, and exhibited in countless ways. As it is humbling to recollect "righteousness belongeth unto God" (Daniel 9:7), so it is comforting that "mercies also belong to the Lord OUR God."

Though we have rebelled against him - rather, since, etc. (Vulgate.) Our only hope must now be, not our righteousness, of which we have none, but His "mercies;" "for we have rebelled against Him" Since we have stoned so greatly, there will be a large field for the exercise of His mercies. So David pleads, "For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, FOR it is great." Or else it is an answer to the tacit objection, If mercies belong to Him, how, then, is it that He had given up His people to such miseries? The answer is, He has been driven to it by our rebellion (Grotius). Our punishment is not inconsistent with His "mercies," since we have rebelled against Him.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

To the Lord

From God's goodness flow His mercies; and from His mercies, forgiveness.

7; Exodus 34:6,7; Numbers 14:18,19; Nehemiah 9:17,31; Psalms 62:12; 86:5,15; 130:4,7; Psalms 145:8,9; Isaiah 55:7; 63:7; Lamentations 3:22,23; Jonah 4:2; Micah 7:18,19; Ephesians 1:6-8; 2:4-7

though

5; Nehemiah 9:18,19,26-28; Psalms 106:43-45; Jeremiah 14:7; Ezekiel 20:8,9,13

Reciprocal: Genesis 32:10 - not worthy of the least of all;  Numbers 14:9 - Only rebel;  Psalm 5:10 - they;  Psalm 31:16 - save;  Psalm 51:1 - O God;  Psalm 79:9 - purge;  Psalm 116:5 - Gracious;  Lamentations 1:18 - for I;  Mark 2:7 - who;  Luke 5:21 - Who can;  Luke 18:13 - God;  2 Corinthians 1:3 - the Father of mercies;  Ephesians 1:7 - the forgiveness;  James 5:11 - the Lord is

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

Daniel here betakes himself to God’s mercy as to a sacred asylum; for it is not sufficient to acknowledge and confess our sins, unless we are supported by a confidence of our obtaining pardon from God’s mercy. We see numbers who use great prolixity in bearing witness to the truth, that they richly deserve all kinds of punishment; but no good result arises from this, because despair overwhelms them and plunges them into an abyss. Recognition of a fault is in truth without the slightest profit, unless with the addition of the hope of pardon. Daniel, therefore, after candidly confessing the treatment which the whole people had received from God to have been deserved, although so severe and harsh, still embraces his pity. According to the common saying, this is like a drowning man catching at a straw. We observe also how David makes use of the same principle. There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared. (Psalms 130:4.) And this moderation must be diligently marked, because Satan either lulls us into torpid security, or else so agitates us as utterly to absorb our minds in sorrow. These two artifices of Satan are sufficiently known to us. Hence that moderation which I have mentioned must be maintained, lest we should grow torpid in the midst of our vices, and so indulge in contempt of God as to induce forget-fullness of him. Then, on the other hand, we ought not to be frightened, and thus close against us the gate of hope and pardon. Daniel, therefore, here follows the best arrangement, and prescribes the same rule for us. For, in confessing the people’s wickedness, he does not entirely throw away the hope of pardon, but supports himself and others with this consolation — God is merciful. He rests this hope of pardon on the very nature of God; as if he had said, there is nothing so peculiar to God as pity, and hence we ought never to despair. To God, says he, belong mercies and forgiveness. No doubt Daniel took this phrase from Moses, especially from that remarkable and memorable passage where God pronounces himself a severe avenger, yet full of mercy, inclined to clemency and pardon, and exercising much forbearance. (Exodus 34:6.) As, therefore, Daniel held the impossibility of God putting away his affectionate feelings of pity, he takes this as the main point of his teaching, and it becomes the chief foundation for his hopes and his petition for pardon. He argues thus, To God belong loving kindnesses; therefore, as he can never deny himself, he will always be merciful. This attribute is inseparable from his eternal essence; and however we have rebelled against him, yet he will never either cast away nor disdain our prayers.

We may conclude from this passage that no prayers are lawful or rightly composed unless they consist of these two members. First, all who approach God ought to cast themselves down before him, and to acknowledge themselves deserving of a thousand deaths; next, to enable them to emerge from the abyss of despair, and to raise themselves to the hope of pardon, they should call upon God without fear or doubt, and with firm and stable confidence. This reliance upon God can have no other support than the nature of God himself, and to this he has borne ample testimony. With respect to the close of the verse, it may be explained in two ways: Because, or although, we are rebellious against him. I have stated that I rather approve of taking the particle כי, ki, in the sense of opposition. Although we have rebelled against God, still he will be entreated, and never will be unmindful of his pity. If any one prefers taking it in a causal sense, it will suit tolerably well; as if Daniel had said, the people have no other hope left but the mercy of God, as they have been convicted of sin over and over again. Because we have acted wickedly towards him, what is left for us but to throw ourselves with all our trust upon the clemency and goodness of God, since he has borne witness to his being propitious to sinners who truly and heartily implore his favor? It now follows: —