Matthew Henry Commentary Daniel 6:6-10

"Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counsellors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the interdict. And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." — Daniel 6:6-10 (ASV)

To forbid prayer for thirty days is, for so long, to rob God of all the tribute He has from humankind, and to rob humankind of all the comfort it has in God. Does not every person's heart direct them, when in need or distress, to call upon God? We could not live a day without God; and can people live thirty days without prayer? Yet it is to be feared that those who, without any decree forbidding them, present no hearty, serious petitions to God for more than thirty consecutive days, are far more numerous than those who serve Him continually with humble, thankful hearts.

Persecuting laws are always made on false pretenses; but it is not fitting for Christians to make bitter complaints or to indulge in reviling. It is good to have hours for prayer. Daniel prayed openly and avowedly; and though a man of great responsibilities, he did not think that would excuse him from daily exercises of devotion. How inexcusable are those who have little to do in the world, yet will not do this much for their souls!

In trying times we must take heed, lest, under the pretense of discretion, we are guilty of cowardice in the cause of God. All who throw away their souls, as those certainly do who live without prayer, even if it is to save their lives, will in the end be found to be fools. Nor did Daniel only pray and not give thanks, cutting off some part of the service to make the time of danger shorter; but he performed the whole. In a word, the duty of prayer is founded on the sufficiency of God as an almighty Creator and Redeemer, and on our needs as sinful creatures.

To Christ we must turn our eyes. To Him let the Christian look, to Him let them pray, in this land of their captivity.