Daniel and his 3 friends have had their names changed from godly names to that of pagan, ungodly ones.  All 4 of them were given lovely Hebrew names with God Himself woven into the very fabric of them.  Daniel means ‘God is my Judge’, el being the Hebrew for God;  Mishael means ‘who is like God?’; Hananiah means ‘Yahweh shows grace’, Yah being the shortened version of God’s most Holy Name of Yahweh; and Azariah means ‘Yahweh helps’.  A bitter pill that they did not swallow.  When you read Daniel chapter 2 you discover that King Nebuchadnezzar has had a rough night, a terrifying dream that was like a Hitchcock movie, a kaleidoscope of disaster that shook him to his very core.  And his wise men were just of no help to him.  No comfort at all.  So, he threatens them with death if they can’t tell him both his dream and what it  means.  Well, they realize the end is near,  the gallows await,  the jig is up.   But when Daniel, also one of the wise men along with his 3 friends,  hears about all this, he begs for a bit of time.  I’m sure the king was rather skeptical and personally relished the sweat on Daniel’s brow, but he granted a short reprieve anyway.  So, what does Daniel do now?  Take out a double-indemnity life insurance policy?  Try to flee the country?  Start a revolution?  No, of course not.  You’ve read the story.  In verse 17 Daniel returns to his house, he goes home where he can talk privately with his 3 friends.  The Bible calls them his friends. And the names used here in verse 17 when they talk together in private in Daniel’s home  are not those horribly forced pagan names, but rather the godly Hebrew names with the Lord solidly in the very fabric of their lives and beings and,yes,  their own names.  And Daniel calls them to be in concert  of prayer. To pray together.   Begging the Lord for His mercy…to spare not just their own lives but that of the other wise men as well.  First thing they do, this  Daniel and his friends…live up to their names, go to God, spend time in prayer and relationship and talking with their Lord.  God, embedded  in their very names, is in their very hearts and souls.  Who better to go to?  Sometimes you and I say in effect, ‘well, I’ve tried everything else, might as well pray about it.’  Be honest now.  I’ve thought that…and probably will again, knowing myself.  When all else fails, pray!  Not Daniel…nor  those 3 friends.  First and foremost,they go to God.  So should we.  Tell Him all about it.   Be in concert with Him.  Sing harmony to the Lord.  Sing your part and sing it with others.  Friends together in prayer…making beautiful music to the ears of our God in heaven.  Is there something you need to pray with others about?  And they with you?  “Daniel returned to his house…to his friends…He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this…”  Pretty good concert, huh?