Prayer of Azariah 1

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1 And they walked in the midst of the fire, praising God and blessing the Lord.

2 Then Azariah stood up and prayed in this way; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire, he said,

3 "Blessed are you, O Lord God of our fathers; your name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:

4 For you are righteous in all the things which you have done to us; yes, true are all your works, your ways are right, and all your judgments are truth.

5 In all the things which you have brought upon us and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, you have executed true judgment; for according to truth and judgment you brought all these things upon us because of our sins.

6 For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from you.

7 In all things have we trespassed and not obeyed your commandments, nor kept them, neither have we done as you have commanded us, so that it might go well with us.

8 Therefore all that you have brought upon us and everything which you have done to us, you have done in true judgment.

9 And you delivered us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, the most wicked in all the world.

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

11 Yet do not deliver us up completely, for your name's sake, nor completely annul your covenant.

12 And do not cause your mercy to depart from us, for your beloved Abraham's sake, for your servant Isaac's sake, and for your holy Israel's sake,

13 to whom you have spoken and promised that you would multiply their seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which lies upon the seashore.

14 For we, O Lord, have become less than any nation and are oppressed this day in all the world because of our sins.

15 Neither is there at this time any prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place, to sacrifice before you in order to find mercy.

16 Nevertheless, with a contrite heart and a humble spirit, let us be accepted.

17 Just as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and just as in ten thousands of fat lambs, so let it be with our sacrifice in your sight on this day; and grant that we may completely follow you, for those who put their trust in you shall not be confounded.

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

19 Do not put us to shame, but deal with us according to your loving kindness and according to the multitude of your mercies.

20 Deliver us also according to your marvelous works and give glory to your name, O Lord; and let all those who do harm to your servants be ashamed;

21 and let them be confounded in all their power and might, and let their strength be broken;

22 and let them know that you are God, the only God, and glorious over the whole world."

23 And the king's servants, who put them in, continued to make the oven hot with resin, pitch, tow, and small wood,

24 so that the flame streamed forth above the furnace for forty nine cubits.

25 And it passed through and burned those Chaldeans it found around the furnace.

26 But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven, together with Azariah and his peers, and drove the flame of the fire out of the oven,

27 and made the middle of the furnace like a moist whistling wind, so that the fire did not touch them at all and neither hurt nor troubled them.

28 Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying:

29 "Blessed are you, O Lord God of our fathers; and praised and exalted above all for ever. And blessed is your glorious and holy name; and praised and exalted above all for ever.

30 Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory; and praised and glorified above all for ever.

31 Blessed are you on the glorious throne of your kingdom; and praised and glorified above all for ever.

32 Blessed are you, who beholds the abyss while sitting upon the cherubims; and praised and exalted above all for ever.

33 Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven; and above all praised and glorified for ever.

34 All works of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

35 Heavens, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

36 Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

37 All waters above the sky, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

38 All powers of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

39 Sun and moon, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

40 Stars of heaven, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

41 Every shower and dew, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

42 All winds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

43 Fire and heat, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

44 Winter and summer, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

45 Dews and storms of snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

46 Ice and cold, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

47 Frost and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

48 Nights and days, bless the Lord; bless and exalt him above all for ever.

49 Light and darkness, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

50 Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

51 Let the earth bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

52 Mountains and little hills, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

53 All things which grow upon the earth, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

54 Seas and rivers, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

55 Fountains, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

56 Whales and all that moves in the waters, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

57 All fowls of the air, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

58 All beasts and cattle, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

59 Children of men, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

60 Israel, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

61 Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

62 Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

63 Spirits and souls of the righteous, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

64 Holy and humble men of heart, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

65 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever. He has delivered us far from hell, and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame; even out of the midst of the fire he has delivered us.

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

67 All you who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him and give him thanks, for his mercy endures for ever."