Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men 1 (GNB)

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The Prayer of Azariah

1v.1: Dan 3.23The three young men, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,v.1 HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AND AZARIAH: These are the original names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (see Dan 1.6–7). started walking about in the flames, singing hymns to God, and praising him as Lord. 2Then Azariah stood still and there in the fire he prayed aloud: 3“O Lord, the God of our ancestors, we praise and adore you; may your name be honoured for ever. 4You have treated us as we deserve. In everything you have done to us you are always honest, and when you bring us to judgement, you are always fair. 5You did what was right when you brought disaster upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors. We deserved that judgement because of our sins. 6We disobeyed you, we turned our backs on you, and we are guilty of every sin. 7We did not do the things that you commanded us to do. If we had obeyed your laws, we would have prospered, 8but now we deserve the judgement and punishment that you have brought upon us. 9You have handed us over to lawless, hateful, and defiant enemies — to the most wicked king in the world. 10And now all of us who worship you are humiliated; we are too ashamed to open our mouths.

11“Yet for the sake of your own honour, do not break your covenant with us and abandon us for ever. 12Do not withhold your mercy from us. Keep your promises to Abraham, whom you loved, to Isaac, your servant, and to Jacob, the father of your holy people Israel. 13You promised to give them as many descendants as the stars in the sky or as the grains of sand along the seashore. 14But now, Lord, we are fewer in number than any other nation; wherever we are, we live in disgrace because of our sins. 15We are left without a king, without any prophets or leaders. There is no longer a Temple where we can go to offer you burnt offerings, sacrifices, gifts, or incense, no place where we can make offerings to you and find your mercy. 16But we come to you with repentant hearts and humble spirits, begging you to accept us just as if we had come with burnt offerings of rams and bulls and thousands of fat lambs. 17Accept our repentance as our sacrifice to you today, so that we may obey you with all our hearts. No one who trusts you will ever be disappointed. 18-19Now with all our hearts we promise to obey you, worship you, and come to you in prayer. Treat us with kindness and mercy, and let us never be put to shame. 20O Lord, rescue us with one of your miracles; bring honour to your name.

21“Bring disgrace and shame on all who harm us. Take away their might and power and crush their strength. 22Let them know that you alone are Lord and God and that you rule in majesty over the whole world.”

23The king's servants who had thrown the three men into the furnace kept the fire hot by feeding it with oil, tar, flax, and brushwood. 24The flames blazed up to a height of more than twenty metres 25and even spread out and burnt up the Babylonians standing near the furnace. 26v.26: Tob 5.4But an angel of the Lord came down into the fire where the three men were. He pushed aside the flames 27so that it felt as if a cool breeze were blowing, and the fire did not touch the men at all or hurt them in any way.

The Song of the Three Young Men

28There in the furnace the three young men again started singing together in praise of God:

29“We praise you, O Lord, the God of our ancestors.

30May your glorious, holy name

be held in honour and reverence for ever.

31May hymns be sung to your glory for ever

and may your holy presence be praised in that temple,

32where you sit on your heavenly throne above the winged creatures

and look down to the world of the dead.

May you be praised and honoured for ever.

33May you be praised as you sit on your royal throne.

May hymns be sung to your glory for ever.

34May you be praised in the dome of the heavens.

May hymns be sung to your glory for ever.

35“Praise the Lord, all creation;