Now I, Nebuchadnezzar
This phrase marks a significant personal declaration from King Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of Babylon. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar was known for his immense power and pride, having built one of the most formidable empires of the ancient world. His acknowledgment here is a profound transformation from arrogance to humility, a testament to the personal encounter he had with the God of Israel. This transformation is a powerful reminder of the personal nature of God's dealings with individuals, regardless of their status or past.

praise and exalt and glorify
These three actions—praise, exalt, and glorify—are expressions of worship and reverence. In Hebrew, these terms are often used in the context of worship directed towards God, emphasizing His supreme authority and majesty. The repetition underscores the completeness and sincerity of Nebuchadnezzar's worship. It reflects a heart that has been truly changed, recognizing God's sovereignty and worthiness of all honor. This serves as an inspirational call for believers to engage in wholehearted worship, acknowledging God's greatness in every aspect of life.

the King of heaven
This title for God emphasizes His supreme authority over all creation, contrasting with earthly kings like Nebuchadnezzar. The term "King of heaven" highlights God's eternal reign and His dominion over the spiritual and physical realms. In the context of the ancient Near East, where kings were often seen as divine or semi-divine, this acknowledgment by Nebuchadnezzar is significant. It recognizes that God's kingdom surpasses all earthly powers, a truth that offers comfort and assurance to believers facing worldly challenges.

for all His works are true
This phrase affirms the reliability and faithfulness of God's actions. The Hebrew concept of "truth" (emet) encompasses faithfulness, reliability, and steadfastness. Nebuchadnezzar's recognition of God's works as true is a declaration of trust in God's character and His divine plan. It encourages believers to trust in God's promises and His perfect timing, even when circumstances seem uncertain or challenging.

and all His ways are just
Here, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the righteousness and fairness of God's dealings. The Hebrew word for "just" (mishpat) conveys a sense of justice, order, and rightness. This acknowledgment is particularly poignant coming from a king who had experienced God's judgment firsthand. It serves as a reminder that God's justice is perfect and that He governs the world with fairness and equity. For believers, this is a call to trust in God's righteous judgment and to live in accordance with His just ways.

And He is able to humble those who walk in pride
This concluding statement is a personal testimony from Nebuchadnezzar, who experienced God's humbling power. The phrase "walk in pride" denotes a lifestyle characterized by arrogance and self-reliance, which is contrary to God's desire for humility and dependence on Him. The Hebrew concept of humility (anavah) is highly valued in Scripture, often associated with wisdom and favor from God. Nebuchadnezzar's humbling experience serves as a warning and an encouragement to believers to cultivate humility, recognizing that true greatness comes from submission to God's will. This truth is a powerful reminder of God's ability to transform lives and bring about His purposes through even the most unlikely individuals.

(37) The King of heaven.--How far the king arrived at a belief in one God is not clear. There may be noticed, however, a progress in his spiritual character, effected by the grace of God, after each of the interviews which he held with the prophet. At first (Daniel 2:26) his belief was no higher than that which a heathen has in his own superstitions. This develops (Daniel 2:47) into a belief that Daniel's God is "a God of gods, a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets." But even at that time he had not arrived at anything like a belief that Jehovah was equal to his own gods. The story of the three holy children shows how little depth there was in his former profession, for in Daniel 3:15 he is represented as setting himself above all gods. After the miracle wrought in their behalf he acknowledges Jehovah to be "the most high God," though he continued to regard Him as only on a level with his own Bel-Merodach. This chapter represents him as recognising "the Most High" to be the cause of his recovery, and as praising the "King of heaven." Holding, as he did, the Babylonian theory of sickness, he must have supposed himself to have been under the influence of some evil spirit; and, with a view to his recovery, his magicians must have treated his disease with charms, amulets, exorcisms, and by placing before him images of his gods. This thanksgiving makes it possible to suppose that he had relinquished much of his belief in his former superstitions, and that he was advancing towards, if not actually in possession of, the truth.

Verse 37. - Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. The Septuagint Version has all the appearance of an original composition by a scribe, not impossibly in imitation of the Song of the Three Holy Children, taking as its theme the subject of the verse before us, "I confess and praise the Highest, who created the heaven and the earth and the sea. He is God of gods, and Lord of lords, and King of kings, because he doeth signs and wonders, and changeth seasons and times, taking away the kingdoms of kings and setting up others instead of them. Now from this time I shall worship him, and from fear of him trembling hath taken hold of me, and all the holy ones I praise, for the gods of the nations have not power in themselves to turn away the kingdom of a king to another king, and to kill and to make alive, and to do signs and marvels great and fearful; and to change very great matters according as the God of heaven did to me, and charged to me great things. I will offer sacrifices to the Highest every day of nay reign for my life, for a savour of sweet smell before the Lord, and what is pleasing before him I shall do, and the people and my nation and the countries which are in my dominion. And as many as shall speak against the God of heaven, and as many as shall be taken saying anything, these shall I condemn to death." Several of the phrases in this short hymn - for that it rather is than a version of an Aramaic original - are derived from other portions of Scripture; e.g. "for a savour of a sweet smell before the Lord." There are traces also of the familiar phenomenon of "doublets." Theodotion and the Peshitta agree with the Massoretic text. So far as the Massoretic text represents the original Daniel, there is no evidence that Nebuchadnezzar had ceased to be a worshipper of Bel-Marduk and Nebo and Nergal. Certainly he recognizes that Jehovah is to be worshipped also. Further, it is to be admitted that Nebuchadnezzar carries his adoration very near the point of true and exclusive worship. In what he came short it may be that he yielded to the political necessities of his situation - as Naaman bowing in the temple of Rimmon. Even an autocrat like Nebuchadnezzar would be conditioned by those who served him, and after his madness he would be specially under the power of those officials who had restored him to his place. Excursus on Nebuchadnezzar's Madness. The events of the fourth chapter of Daniel are full of elements that have caused question from the days of Porphyry downwards. Many of these have been discussed as they occurred in the narrative. The question of the madness of Nebuchadnezzar has several features which cause it to be of interest. Some of these have been passingly treated in reference to the passages in which they are mentioned. But to a thorough understanding of the matter it is well to collect these features together and discuss it as a whole. To do so effectively, we shall have to consider

(1) the nature of the disease under which Nebuchadnezzar suffered;

(2) the length of time during which he was under it;

(3) what evidence there is in the narrative, or on the monuments, of political changes during the time he was incapacitated. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...

Now
כְּעַ֞ן (kə·‘an)
Adverb
Strong's 3705: Now

I,
אֲנָ֣ה (’ă·nāh)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 576: I

Nebuchadnezzar,
נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֗ר (nə·ḇū·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5020: Nebuchadnezzar -- a Babylonian king

praise
מְשַׁבַּ֨ח (mə·šab·baḥ)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7624: To adulate, adore

and exalt
וּמְרוֹמֵ֤ם (ū·mə·rō·w·mêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7313: To be high, to rise, raise

and glorify
וּמְהַדַּר֙ (ū·mə·had·dar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1922: To glorify (God)

the King
לְמֶ֣לֶךְ (lə·me·leḵ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4430: A king

of heaven,
שְׁמַיָּ֔א (šə·may·yā)
Noun - mdd
Strong's 8065: The sky

for
דִּ֤י (dî)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 1768: Who, which, that, because

all
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3606: The whole, all, any, every

His works
מַעֲבָד֙וֹהִי֙ (ma·‘ă·ḇā·ḏō·w·hî)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4567: An act

are true,
קְשֹׁ֔ט (qə·šōṭ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7187: Fidelity

and all His ways
וְאֹרְחָתֵ֖הּ (wə·’ō·rə·ḥā·ṯêh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 735: A road

are just.
דִּ֑ין (dîn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1780: Judgement, strife

And those
וְדִי֙ (wə·ḏî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 1768: Who, which, that, because

who walk
מַהְלְכִ֣ין (mah·lə·ḵîn)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 1981: To walk

in pride
בְּגֵוָ֔ה (bə·ḡê·wāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1467: Exaltation, arrogance

He is able
יָכִ֖ל (yā·ḵil)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3202: To be able

to humble.
לְהַשְׁפָּלָֽה׃ (lə·haš·pā·lāh)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8214: To depress, sink


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OT Prophets: Daniel 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol (Dan. Da Dn)