Our ancestors felt it too, and they wrestled with it in their stories and prayers. Today, we're diving into Midrash Tehillim 64, a fascinating passage that uses the story of Daniel in the lion's den to explore these themes of power, conspiracy, and ultimately, divine justice.
The midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) begins by quoting (Amos 3:7): "Surely the Lord God does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets." This sets the stage: God is involved, God knows, and God reveals. The midrash then connects this idea to David, the conqueror, suggesting that God informed David of Daniel's fate. It's all interconnected.
The text then takes a surprising turn, imagining the wicked as those who would "drill through the firmament" if they could, echoing (Psalm 18:8): "Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him." Since they can’t reach God directly, they plot below, as (Psalm 2:2) says, "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together." Unable to challenge God on His own turf, they target those faithful to Him—like Daniel.
And here’s where the story of Daniel comes into sharper focus. Remember the plot against him? As we read in (Daniel 6:8-9), all the powerful figures – "the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counselors, and the captains" – they all colluded, trying to trap him with a decree that would force him to choose between loyalty to the king and loyalty to God. They knew Daniel's unwavering devotion. They used it against him.
So, what did Daniel do? He knew the decree was signed, but as (Daniel 6:10-11) tells us, he went home, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and prayed, just as he always had. He refused to hide his faith, even in the face of death. He trusted in God.
When they caught him, Daniel didn't panic. He prayed, acknowledging God as "Lord, the King of the Universe." He sought refuge from the "plot of evildoers." And when his enemies gleefully reported him to the king, as (Daniel 6:13-14) recounts, the king was "sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him." But the law was the law, and the king was bound to uphold it.
Now, here's where the midrash gets really interesting. It invokes (Proverbs 30:30): "A lion, mightiest among beasts, recoils before none." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Let a lion come and rescue a lion from the mouth of a lion." The midrash sees Daniel as a 'lion' of faith, and God sends literal lions to rescue him! It’s a powerful image of divine intervention.
The story continues, elaborating on the miraculous nature of Daniel's survival. Seventy powerful men couldn't consume him, and when they plotted to increase their numbers, Daniel challenged them. The result? As (Psalms 7:13) says, "God shoots His arrows suddenly," and the wicked were devoured instead. It’s a complete reversal!
The midrash then delves into the sheer number of lions involved, drawing from (Daniel 6:2) and imagining a vast, almost supernatural force protecting Daniel. It culminates in the triumph of justice, echoing (Psalms 58:11): "The righteous man will rejoice when he sees revenge; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked." A stark image, perhaps, but one that underscores the complete and utter victory of good over evil.
Ultimately, the midrash concludes with (Psalms 64:11): "The righteous man will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him, and all the upright in heart will exult." It's a powerful affirmation of faith, a reminder that even when faced with overwhelming odds, even when powerful forces conspire against us, we can find strength and solace in our relationship with God. Daniel's story isn't just a historical account; it’s a timeless message of hope and resilience. It reminds us that even in the darkest of times, divine justice will ultimately prevail.
"A Psalm of David, the conqueror. Hear, O God, my voice in my complaint. As it is written in Amos 3:7, 'Surely the Lord God does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.' The Lord informed David what should be done to Daniel and what those who could have gone up to fight with the Lord in heaven would have done. The sons of Korah also say (Psalm 74:7), 'They have burned your sanctuary with fire, and razed it to the ground.' And if they could have drilled through the firmament, they would have done so, as it is written (Psalm 18:8), 'Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him.' And because they could not go up, they do it below, as it is written (Psalm 2:2), 'The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together.' And because they could not go up, they sought counsel from Daniel, as it is written (Daniel 6:8-9), 'All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counselors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree.' They said to him, 'Are you not the king? For all the kings make decrees and issue laws,' as it is written (Esther 1:19), 'According to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.' When he heard this, he made an agreement with them, as it is written (Daniel 6:10-11), 'Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.' When they caught him, he said to them, 'My Lord, the King of the Universe, sees all. Hide me from the plot of evildoers, from the tumult of those who do wrong.' When they found him, they approached him and said (Daniel 6:13-14), 'Then they answered and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.'" As it says (Proverbs 30:30): "A lion, mightiest among beasts, recoils before none." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Let a lion come and rescue a lion from the mouth of a lion." (ibid. 30:29) "There is a king who is formidable in his retinue." (ibid. 30:28) "There are three impressive beings that stride forth, four that are stately in gait: a lion, mightiest among beasts, recoils before none." This is exemplified by the story of Daniel, in which seventy powerful men were unable to consume him. They told him that they had not eaten him because they were seventy, but if they were to increase their number, they would be able to overpower him. Daniel challenged them to spend the night with him, and if they could overpower him in the morning, they could eat him. In the end, they were devoured themselves. As it says (Psalms 7:13), "God shoots His arrows suddenly," and as a result, the lions were defeated. Therefore it is said (Proverbs 30:30), "Lions, mightiest among beasts, that retreat before none." How many were there? As it says (Daniel 6:2), "Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two. There were also one hundred and twenty satraps, of whom Daniel was one." Thus, there were one hundred and twenty-two, as it says, "They were males and females." This teaches that for each person there were four lions, and each lion had four limbs. They tried to throw them into a pit, but the lions did not descend. As it says (ibid. 6:24), "The lions had the mastery over them and broke all their bones in pieces." Therefore, it is said (Psalms 58:11), "The righteous man will rejoice when he sees revenge; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked." And it says (Psalms 64:11), "The righteous man will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him, and all the upright in heart will exult."
