Then I said: "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments, Then I said:This phrase introduces Nehemiah's prayer, highlighting the importance of prayer in the life of a believer. Nehemiah, a cupbearer to the Persian king, begins his mission with prayer, setting an example of seeking divine guidance before taking action. This reflects the biblical principle of acknowledging God in all endeavors ( Proverbs 3:6). O LORD, God of heaven:
The title "God of heaven" emphasizes God's sovereignty and supreme authority over all creation. This title is significant in the post-exilic context, as it acknowledges God's rule beyond the earthly realm, contrasting with the limited power of earthly kings. It aligns with Daniel's recognition of God's dominion (Daniel 2:19-23). the great and awesome God:
This description of God underscores His majesty and power, inspiring reverence and awe. It reflects the biblical theme of God's greatness, as seen in Deuteronomy 10:17, where God is described as "God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God." This acknowledgment sets the tone for a prayer of humility and dependence. who keeps His covenant of loving devotion:
The reference to God's covenant highlights His faithfulness and steadfast love (Hebrew: "hesed"). This covenantal relationship is central to the Old Testament, beginning with Abraham and continuing through Moses and David. It assures believers of God's unwavering commitment to His promises, as seen in Psalm 89:34. with those who love Him and keep His commandments:
This phrase emphasizes the conditional aspect of the covenant, requiring love and obedience from God's people. It echoes the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, which calls for wholehearted love and adherence to God's laws. This relationship between love and obedience is further affirmed by Jesus in John 14:15, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Persons / Places / Events 1. NehemiahA Jewish cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah is the central figure in the book. He is known for his leadership in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and his dedication to God. 2. JerusalemThe city of Jerusalem is central to the account. It is the holy city for the Jewish people, and its walls were in ruins at the time of Nehemiah's prayer. 3. God of HeavenThis title emphasizes God's sovereignty and supreme authority over all creation, a common theme in the post-exilic period. 4. CovenantRefers to the solemn agreement between God and His people, highlighting God's faithfulness and the expected response of obedience from His people. 5. CommandmentsThe laws given by God to the Israelites, which are central to their covenant relationship with Him. Teaching Points Recognizing God's SovereigntyNehemiah begins his prayer by acknowledging God as "the great and awesome God." This teaches us to start our prayers with a recognition of God's majesty and authority. Covenant FaithfulnessNehemiah emphasizes God's faithfulness to His covenant. We are reminded that God is always faithful, and we are called to respond with love and obedience. Prayer as a First ResponseNehemiah's immediate turn to prayer in a time of distress teaches us the importance of seeking God first in our challenges. Loving Devotion and ObedienceThe connection between loving God and keeping His commandments is crucial. Our love for God should manifest in our obedience to His Word. Intercessory PrayerNehemiah's prayer is intercessory, standing in the gap for his people. We are encouraged to pray not only for ourselves but also for others, especially in times of need. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Nehemiah's recognition of God's greatness and covenant faithfulness shape the way we approach God in prayer? 2. In what ways can we demonstrate our love for God through obedience to His commandments in our daily lives? 3. How does the concept of God's covenant faithfulness provide comfort and assurance in times of uncertainty? 4. What can we learn from Nehemiah's example about the importance of intercessory prayer for our communities and nations? 5. How do other biblical figures, like Daniel, model similar approaches to prayer, and what can we learn from their examples? Connections to Other Scriptures Deuteronomy 7:9This verse speaks of God as a faithful keeper of His covenant, similar to Nehemiah's acknowledgment of God's faithfulness. Daniel 9:4Daniel's prayer also begins with a recognition of God's greatness and covenant faithfulness, paralleling Nehemiah's approach. Exodus 20:6This verse highlights God's loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments, echoing Nehemiah's words. People Hachaliah, Hanani, Israelites, NehemiahPlaces Jerusalem, SusaTopics Awesome, Awful, Beg, Beseech, Commandments, Commands, Covenant, Faith, Feared, Fearful, Greatly, Heaven, Heavens, Keepeth, Keeping, Keeps, Kindness, Laws, Love, Loving, Lovingkindness, Mercy, O, Obey, Observe, Preserves, Steadfast, TerribleDictionary of Bible Themes Nehemiah 1:5 1060 God, greatness of
1349 covenant, at Sinai
6687 mercy, God's
8208 commitment, to God
8304 loyalty Nehemiah 1:4-6 8653 importunity, to God Nehemiah 1:4-7 8604 prayer, response to God Nehemiah 1:4-11 6655 forgiveness, application
8618 prayerfulness Nehemiah 1:5-6 6667 grace, in OT Nehemiah 1:5-7 6624 confession, of sin Library The Church and Social Evils
'It came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.'--NEH. i. 4. Ninety years had passed since the returning exiles had arrived at Jerusalem. They had encountered many difficulties which had marred their progress and cooled their enthusiasm. The Temple, indeed, was rebuilt, but Jerusalem lay in ruins, and its walls remained as they had been left, by Nebuchadnezzar's siege, some century and a half before. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureA Reformer's Schooling
'The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2. That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Nehemiah, the Praying Builder
We care not for your splendid abilities as a minister, or your natural endowment as an orator before men. We are sure that the truth of the matter is this: No one will or can command success and become a real praying soul unless intense application is the price. I am even now convinced that the difference between the saints like Wesley, Fletcher, Edwards, Brainerd, Bramwell, Bounds, and ourselves is energy, perseverance, invincible determination to succeed or die in the attempt. God help us.--Rev. …
Edward M. Bounds—Prayer and Praying Men Discouragements and Courage
'Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 11. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12. And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
The Median wars--The last native dynasties of Egypt--The Eastern world on the eve of the Macedonian conquest. [Drawn by Boudier, from one of the sarcophagi of Sidon, now in the Museum of St. Irene. The vignette, which is by Faucher-Gudin, represents the sitting cyno-cephalus of Nectanebo I., now in the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican.] Darius appears to have formed this project of conquest immediately after his first victories, when his initial attempts to institute satrapies had taught him not …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9 A Treatise of the Fear of God;
SHOWING WHAT IT IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT WHICH IS NOT SO. ALSO, WHENCE IT COMES; WHO HAS IT; WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS; AND WHAT THE PRIVILEGES OF THOSE THAT HAVE IT IN THEIR HEARTS. London: Printed for N. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, over against the Stocks market: 1679. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and "a fountain of life"--the foundation on which all wisdom rests, as well as the source from whence it emanates. Upon a principle …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Nehemiah 1:5 NIVNehemiah 1:5 NLTNehemiah 1:5 ESVNehemiah 1:5 NASBNehemiah 1:5 KJV
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