Prayer of Azariah 1 - Bible Gateway

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked around in the flames, singing hymns to God, blessing the Lord.

While standing and praying in the middle of the fire, Azariah spoke like this:

Blessed are you, Lord God of our ancestors. You deserve to be praised and honored forever!

Everything you’ve done to us is fair. All your actions are right, your ways consistent; all your decisions are sound.

You judged us fairly in all the things you’ve done to us and to Jerusalem, our ancestors’ holy city. You were honest and fair in doing all these things to us because of our sins.

We sinned and broke the law by turning from you; we sinned in everything we did.

We didn’t obey your commands; we didn’t keep them or do as you ordered us, although the orders were for our own good.

All that you’ve brought upon us, all that you’ve done to us, has been fair.

You handed us over to our enemies, immoral rebels who hate God’s laws, and to an unjust king, the most evil one in the whole world.

Now there’s nothing that we can say. Shame and blame cover your servants and those who worship you.

For the sake of your own reputation, please don’t hand us over permanently! Don’t set aside your covenant!

Don’t turn your mercy away from us! Hold to it for the sake of Abraham, whom you loved, and Isaac, your servant, and Israel, your holy one.

You told them you would give them descendants, as many as the stars of the sky and the grains of sand beside the sea.

Look, Lord, we have become smaller than any other nation. We are disgraced now in front of everybody because of our sins.

In this time we have no ruler or prophet or leader, no entirely burned offering or sacrifice, no special gift or incense, no place to bring gifts to you and find mercy.

Accept us, please, with our crushed souls and humble spirits, as if we brought entirely burned offerings of rams and bulls, as if we brought tens of thousands of fat lambs.

May this be the kind of offering we make in your presence today, and may we follow you completely, since no shame will come to those who come to terms with you.

Now we follow you with our hearts, honor you, and seek your presence.

Don’t put us to shame! Instead, deal with us in line with your kindness and great mercy.

As you have worked wonders before, so rescue us now! Build up your reputation, Lord!

Let all who mistreat your servants be humiliated. Let them be put to shame and lose all their authority; may their strength be smashed.

Let them know that you alone are the Lord God, more honored than anyone else in the world.

Now the king’s aides, who had thrown them into the furnace, were constantly feeding the fire with petroleum, tar, kindling, and dry sticks.

Flame shot out of the furnace to a height of more than seventy feet,

spreading out and burning the Babylonians who stood near the furnace.

But the Lord’s angel came down among Azariah and his friends and waved the fiery flames out of the furnace.

He made the middle of the furnace seem like a cool breeze was blowing through it. The fire didn’t touch them at all; it didn’t hurt or upset them.

Then with one voice the three began singing hymns, praising and blessing God right there in the furnace. They said:

Blessed are you, Lord God of our ancestors. You are worthy of praise and raised high above all others forever. Blessed is your glorious and holy reputation, worthy of praise and raised high above all others forever.

Blessed are you in your glorious, holy temple, worthy of hymns and honored above all others forever.

Blessed are you, sitting on the winged creatures, looking down into the farthest depths, worthy of praise and raised high above all others forever.

Blessed are you on your royal throne, worthy of hymns and raised high above all others forever.

Blessed are you in the dome of the sky, worthy of hymns and honored forever.

All works of the Lord, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Heavens, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Angels serving the Lord, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

All you waters above the sky, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

All you heavenly powers, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Sun and moon, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Stars of the sky, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Rainstorms and dew, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

All you winds, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Fire and burning, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Cold and heat, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Dew drops and falling snow, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Nights and days, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Light and darkness, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Ice and winter, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Frost and snow, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Lightning and clouds, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Let the earth bless the Lord. Let it sing hymns and lift God high above all others forever.

Mountains and hills, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

All you things that grow in the earth, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Oceans and rivers, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Running waters, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Sea monsters and all you things that swarm in the water, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

All birds of the sky, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Wild and tame animals, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

You human beings, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Israel, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Priests, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

You who serve the Lord, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Spirits and souls of good people, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

You people who are holy and have humble hearts, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever.

Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, bless the Lord, sing hymns, and lift God high above all others forever, because he rescued us from the grave, and saved us from death. God pulled us out of the middle of the scorching furnace, and pulled us out of the middle of the fire.

Tell people that the Lord is good, because his mercy lasts forever.

All you who worship the Lord, the God of gods, bless him, sing hymns, and tell people that God’s mercy lasts forever!

(Additions to Daniel, inserted between 3.23 and 3.24) They walked around in the midst of the flames, singing hymns to God and blessing the Lord.

Then Azariah stood still in the fire and prayed aloud:

‘Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors, and worthy of praise; and glorious is your name for ever!

For you are just in all you have done; all your works are true and your ways right, and all your judgements are true.

You have executed true judgements in all you have brought upon us and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors; by a true judgement you have brought all this upon us because of our sins.

For we have sinned and broken your law in turning away from you; in all matters we have sinned grievously.

We have not obeyed your commandments, we have not kept them or done what you have commanded us for our own good.

So all that you have brought upon us, and all that you have done to us, you have done by a true judgement.

You have handed us over to our enemies, lawless and hateful rebels, and to an unjust king, the most wicked in all the world.

And now we cannot open our mouths; we, your servants who worship you, have become a shame and a reproach.

For your name’s sake do not give us up for ever, and do not annul your covenant.

Do not withdraw your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham your beloved and for the sake of your servant Isaac and Israel your holy one,

to whom you promised to multiply their descendants like the stars of heaven and like the sand on the shore of the sea.

For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any other nation, and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.

In our day we have no ruler, or prophet, or leader, no burnt-offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, no place to make an offering before you and to find mercy.

Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted,

as though it were with burnt-offerings of rams and bulls, or with tens of thousands of fat lambs; such may our sacrifice be in your sight today, and may we unreservedly follow you, for no shame will come to those who trust in you.

And now with all our heart we follow you; we fear you and seek your presence.

Do not put us to shame, but deal with us in your patience and in your abundant mercy.

Deliver us in accordance with your marvellous works, and bring glory to your name, O Lord.

Let all who do harm to your servants be put to shame; let them be disgraced and deprived of all power, and let their strength be broken.

Let them know that you alone are the Lord God, glorious over the whole world.’

Now the king’s servants who threw them in kept stoking the furnace with naphtha, pitch, tow, and brushwood.

And the flames poured out above the furnace forty-nine cubits,

and spread out and burned those Chaldeans who were caught near the furnace.

But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace to be with Azariah and his companions, and drove the fiery flame out of the furnace,

and made the inside of the furnace as though a moist wind were whistling through it. The fire did not touch them at all and caused them no pain or distress.

Then the three with one voice praised and glorified and blessed God in the furnace:

‘Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors, and to be praised and highly exalted for ever;

And blessed is your glorious, holy name, and to be highly praised and highly exalted for ever.

Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, and to be extolled and highly glorified for ever.

Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne on the cherubim, and to be praised and highly exalted for ever.

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, and to be extolled and highly exalted for ever.

Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, and to be sung and glorified for ever.

‘Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, you heavens; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, all you waters above the heavens; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, all you powers of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, sun and moon; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, stars of heaven; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

‘Bless the Lord, all rain and dew; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, all you winds; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, fire and heat; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, winter cold and summer heat; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, dews and falling snow; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, nights and days; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, light and darkness; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, ice and cold; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, frosts and snows; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, lightnings and clouds; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

‘Let the earth bless the Lord; let it sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, all that grows in the ground; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, you springs; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, you whales and all that swim in the waters; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, all birds of the air; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, all wild animals and cattle; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

‘Bless the Lord, all people on earth; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, O Israel; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, you priests of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, you who are holy and humble in heart; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

‘Bless the Lord, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. For he has rescued us from Hades and saved us from the power of death, and delivered us from the midst of the burning fiery furnace; from the midst of the fire he has delivered us.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.

All who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, sing praise to him and give thanks to him, for his mercy endures for ever.’

(Additions to Daniel, inserted between 3.23 and 3.24) They walked around in the midst of the flames, singing hymns to God and blessing the Lord.

Then Azariah stood still in the fire and prayed aloud:

“Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors, and worthy of praise, and glorious is your name forever!

For you are just in all you have done; all your works are true and your ways right, and all your judgments are true.

You have executed true judgments in all you have brought upon us and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors; by a true judgment you have brought all this upon us because of our sins.

For we have sinned and broken your law in turning away from you; in all matters we have sinned grievously.

We have not obeyed your commandments; we have not kept them or done what you have commanded us for our own good.

So all that you have brought upon us and all that you have done to us, you have done by a true judgment.

You have handed us over to our enemies, lawless and hateful rebels, and to an unjust king, the most wicked in all the world.

And now we cannot open our mouths; we, your servants who worship you, bear shame and reproach.

For your name’s sake do not give us up forever, and do not annul your covenant.

Do not withdraw your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham your beloved and for the sake of Isaac your servant and Israel your holy one,

to whom you promised to multiply their descendants like the stars of heaven and like the sand on the shore of the sea.

For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any other nation and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.

In our day we have no ruler, or prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, no place to make an offering before you and to find mercy.

Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted,

as though it were with burnt offerings of rams and bulls or with tens of thousands of fat lambs; such may our sacrifice be in your sight today, and may we unreservedly follow you, for no shame will come to those who trust in you.

And now with all our heart we follow you; we fear you and seek your presence.

Do not put us to shame, but deal with us in your patience and in your abundant mercy.

Deliver us in accordance with your marvelous works, and bring glory to your name, O Lord.

Let all who do harm to your servants be put to shame; let them be disgraced and deprived of all power, and let their strength be broken.

Let them know that you alone are the Lord God, glorious over the whole world.”

Now the king’s servants who threw them in kept stoking the furnace with naphtha, pitch, tinder, and brushwood.

And the flames poured out above the furnace forty-nine cubits

and spread out and burned those Chaldeans who were caught near the furnace.

But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace to be with Azariah and his companions and drove the fiery flame out of the furnace

and made the inside of the furnace as though a moist wind were whistling through it. The fire did not touch them at all and caused them no pain or distress.

Then the three with one voice praised and glorified and blessed God in the furnace:

“Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors, and to be praised and highly exalted forever; And blessed is your glorious, holy name, and to be highly praised and highly exalted forever.

Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, and to be extolled and highly glorified forever.

Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne on the cherubim, and to be praised and highly exalted forever.

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, and to be extolled and highly exalted forever.

Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, and to be sung and glorified forever.

“Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, you heavens; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, all you waters above the heavens; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, all you powers of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, sun and moon; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, stars of heaven; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

“Bless the Lord, all rain and dew; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, all you winds; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, fire and heat; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, winter cold and summer heat; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, dews and falling snow; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, nights and days; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, light and darkness; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, ice and cold; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, frosts and snows; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, lightnings and clouds; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

“Let the earth bless the Lord; let it sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, all that grows in the ground; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, you springs; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, you sea monsters and all that swim in the waters; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, all birds of the air; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, all wild animals and cattle; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

“Bless the Lord, all people on earth; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, O Israel; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, you priests of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, you who are holy and humble in heart; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

“Bless the Lord, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever. For he has rescued us from Hades and saved us from the power of death and delivered us from the midst of the burning fiery furnace; from the midst of the fire he has delivered us.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.