Daniel 6:22

My God hath sent his angel,.... Daniel takes up the king's expression, and confirms it; he asserts God to be his God, of which he had given him a proof in sending his angel to him that night; either

My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

My God hath sent his angel; he had his eye specially to Him whose cause and honour was concerned in this matter. The Lord either took the lions’ hunger away from them, or made Daniel appeared terrible to them; or, literally, shut their mouths. Before him innocency was found in me; because by faith he trusted in the Lord, ; therefore the papists from hence falsely conclude justification by works and merits, assigning fallaciously a false cause instead of a principal, formal, and meritorious cause; for the word forasmuch or because in Scripture doth often signify an occasion rather than a cause; , Pardon my sin, for it is great. Daniel did not use to argue thus, but the contrary, ,18. Daniel pleads the innocence of his cause to the king in suffering, not the righteousness of his person; and that the Lord delivered him to assert his honour in his unjust sufferings. Before thee, O king have I done no hurt; nor have I sinned against, thee, O king: the fear of God is set before honouring of kings, .

Daniel 6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.Ver. 22. My God hath sent his angel.] Glad to be employed for the safety and service of the saints, whence it is that these heavenly courtiers delight more in their names of ministry (as angels, watchers, &c.), than of dignity, as principalities, thrones, &c. And hath shut the lions’ mouths.] Though they were savage and hunger starved, yet Daniel was kept from the paws and jaws of these many fierce and fell lions by the power of God through faith. How the angel stopped the lions’ mouths, whether by the brightness of his presence, or threatening them with his finger, or by making a rumble among them like that of an empty cart upon the stones, or by presenting unto them a light fire (which things lions are said to be terrified with), or by causing in them a satiety, or by working upon their fantasy, &c., we need not inquire. The Lord well knoweth how to deliver his, and, one way or other, will not fail to do it. Archimedes, the great mathematician, was slain by a common soldier who was sent for him, notwithstanding that Marcellus, the Roman general, had given charge that he should be spared. The temple at Jerusalem was burnt, though Titus the emperor had commanded the contrary. When one told the Duke of Parma that he had shot Sir Philip Sidney, instead of a reward, he cursed him for killing so incomparable a man, of whom, though an enemy, he heartily wished that he had been preserved. All that are dear to God are sure to be protected; he will rather work miracles than they shall be forsaken. And also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.] Though I have not obeyed thine edict, to the wounding of my conscience. It was therefore an unadvised speech of Philip, king of Spain, who said that he had rather have no subjects than Protestant subjects; and out of a blind bloody zeal he suffered his eldest son Charles to be murdered by the cruel Inquisition, because he seemed to favour the Lutherans. How well might this young prince have said, as here, "Against thee, O king, have I done no hurt." Aristot.; Plin.

(22) His angel.—Comp. Psalms 34:7; Psalms 34:10; Daniel 3:28. Before thee—i.e., thou knowest full well.

Verse 22. My God hath sent his angel] Such a one as that who attended Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the fiery furnace, and blew aside the flames, so that they could not hurt them. Before him innocency was found in me] Because I was innocent God has preserved me; and now that I am preserved, my innocence is fully proved.

22. sent his angel] cf. Daniel 3:28. shut &c.] cf. Hebrews 11:33 (ἔφραξαν; Theod. here ἐνέφραξεν). before thee] see on Daniel 6:10 end, and Daniel 2:9; and cf. Luke 15:18; Luke 15:21.

My God hath sent his angel - It was common among the Hebrews to attribute any remarkable preservation from danger to the intervention of an angel sent from God, and no one can demonstrate that it did not occur as they supposed.

22. Hath sent his angel — On Daniel’s view of angels see Daniel 8:16. (The primitive LXX.