Prayer of Azariah
The Prayer of Azariah1
242 They3 were walking around in the midst of the flame, singing praises to God and blessing the Lord. 25 Then Azariah4 stood up5 and prayed in the following manner.6 He opened his mouth and exclaimed7 in the midst of the fire,
26 “O Lord God of our ancestors,8 you are blessed and worthy of praise,
and your name is to be glorified forever.
27 For you are righteous in9 all things that you have done.
All your works are true, your ways are upright,10
and all your judgments are true.11
28 You have executed proper decisions12
with regard to all those things that you have brought upon us
and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors.13
For by a proper judgment14 you have brought about all these things because of our sins.15
29 We have sinned and behaved lawlessly by turning away from you.
We have sinned miserably in every conceivable way.16
30 We have not paid attention to your commandments,17
nor have we adhered to them, nor have we performed them
in the way that18 you instructed us, so that things might go well for us.
31 Everything that you have brought upon us, and everything that you have done to us,
you have done by proper19 judgment.
32 You have delivered us into the hands of enemies who are lawless, extremely hateful, and rebellious,
and you have delivered us over20 to a king who is unrighteous and more evil than any other in21 the entire earth.22
33 Now we have no right to open our mouths.23
Shame and reproach have overtaken24 your servants and those who worship you.
34 But for the sake of your name do not deliver us over completely!
Do not repudiate your covenant!
35 Do not remove your mercy from us
for the sake of Abraham whom you love,25
and Isaac your servant,
and Israel your holy one!
36 It was to these26 you promised27
to multiply their descendants28 like the stars of the sky
and like the sand which is at the edge of the sea.
37 Master, we have been diminished more than any other nation,29
and we are this day the most lowly in all the world30 because of our sins.
38 At this time we have no ruler or prophet or leader
or whole burnt offering or sacrifice or offering or gift of incense
or place to make an offering before you and to find mercy.
39 Nonetheless, may we with broken heart31 and humble spirit be accepted
40 as though with whole burnt offerings of rams and bulls,
and as though with myriads of fat lambs.32
In this way33 let our sacrifice appear before you today.
And may we follow you wholeheartedly,34
for those who trust in you will know no shame.35
41 Now we are following you with all our heart, fearing you
and seeking your face. 42 Do not put us to shame,
but deal with us according to your gentleness
and according to the magnitude of your mercy.
43 Deliver us according to your wondrous works,
and bring36 glory to your name, O Lord.
44 May all those who bring37 evil upon your servants be reduced to shame.
May they be shamefully removed from all power,
and may their strength be crushed.
45 May they know that you alone are the Lord God,
and that you are glorious over all the inhabited earth.”
Conditions in the furnace
4638 Now the king’s attendants39 who threw them in40 did not stop heating the furnace with naphtha, pitch, flax, and brushwood.41 47 The flame poured forth above the furnace forty-nine cubits,42 48 rushing forth43 and burning up those Chaldeans44 it encountered45 around the furnace. 49 But the angel of the Lord46 went down to be with those around Azariah in the furnace, and he expelled the fiery flame from the furnace.47 50 He made the midst of the furnace as though a damp wind48 were whistling throughout it, and the fire that was all around them did not touch, harm, or trouble them. 51 Then the three, as with a single voice,49 began50 praising, glorifying, and blessing God in the furnace. They said,51
The Song of the Three Young Men: A Hymn of Praise to God
52 “You are blessed, O Lord God of our ancestors,52
and you are to be praised and exalted forever.
Blessed is your glorious and holy name,53
and it is to be highly praised and exalted forever.54
53 You are blessed in your holy and glorious temple,55
and you are to be highly praised and greatly glorified forever.56
54 You are blessed, the one overlooking the depths57 and sitting above the cherubim,58
and you are to be praised and exalted forever.59
55 You are blessed on the throne of your kingdom,
and you are to be highly praised and exalted forever.
56 You are blessed in the heavenly firmament,60
and you are to be praised and glorified forever.
A Call for all Creation to Praise God
57 Bless61 the Lord, all you works of the Lord;62
praise him and exalt him forever!63
58 Bless the Lord, O heavens;
praise and exalt him forever!
59 Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord;
praise and exalt him forever!
60 Bless the Lord, all the waters that are above the heaven;
praise and exalt him forever!64
61 Let every power65 bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him forever!
62 Bless the Lord, sun and moon;
praise and exalt him forever!
63 Bless the Lord, heavenly stars;
praise and exalt him forever!
64 Bless the Lord, every thunderstorm and dew;
praise and exalt him forever!
65 Bless the Lord, all winds;66
praise and exalt him forever!
66 Bless the Lord, fire and heat;
praise and exalt him forever!67
67 Bless the Lord, cold and burning;
praise and exalt him forever!68
68 Bless the Lord, dews and snowstorms;
praise and exalt him forever!
71 Bless the Lord, nights and days;69
praise and exalt him forever!
72 Bless the Lord, light and darkness;
praise and exalt him forever!
69 Bless the Lord, frost and cold;
praise and exalt him forever!70
70 Bless the Lord, frosts and snows;
praise and exalt him forever!
73 Bless the Lord, stars and clouds;
praise and exalt him forever!
74 Let the earth71 bless the Lord;
let it praise and exalt him forever!
75 Bless the Lord, mountains and hills;
praise and exalt him forever!
76 Bless the Lord, all things that grow in the ground;72
praise and exalt him forever!73
78 Bless the Lord, seas and rivers;
praise and exalt him forever!74
77 Bless the Lord, O springs;75
praise and exalt him forever!
79 Bless the Lord, sea monsters76 and all things that move in the waters;
praise and exalt him forever!
80 Bless the Lord, all the birds of the sky;
praise and exalt him forever!
81 Bless the Lord, all the wild animals and beasts of burden;
praise and exalt him forever!77
82 Bless the Lord, O humanity;78
praise and exalt him forever!
83 Bless the Lord, O Israel;
praise and exalt him forever!
84 Bless the Lord, O priests;
praise and exalt him forever!
85 Bless the Lord, O servants;79
praise and exalt him forever!
86 Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous;
praise and exalt him forever!
87 Bless the Lord, those who are holy and humble in heart;
praise and exalt him forever!
88 Bless the Lord, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael;
praise and exalt him forever!
For he has plucked us from Hades;80 he has delivered us from the grasp81 of death;
he has rescued us from the midst of the burning fiery furnace;
he has rescued us from the midst of the fire.82
89 Acknowledge the Lord, for he is kind;83
for his mercy is forever!84
90 Bless the God of gods, all you who worship the Lord;
praise him and give him thanks, for his mercy is forever!”85
The Prayer of Manasseh
Invocation86
1 O Lord Almighty,
God of our ancestors87
Abraham,88 Isaac, and Jacob,
and their righteous descendants,89
2 you who created90 heaven and earth with all their orderly arrangement,91
3 who shackled92 the sea93 by the word94 of your command,95
who closed up the abyss and sealed96 it by your awesome97 and glorious name;
4 at whose power98 all things shudder99 and tremble,
5 for your glorious magnificence100 is unbearable,101
and the wrath of your threat against sinners cannot be resisted.102
6 Yet your promised mercy103 cannot be measured or scrutinized.
7 For you are the Lord Most High,104
compassionate, longsuffering, and extremely merciful,105
and relenting at human106 misfortunes.107
Confession of Sin
8 Therefore, O Lord God of the righteous,108
you have not appointed repentance for the righteous,
such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who have not sinned against you,
but you have appointed repentance to me a sinner.109
9 Because my sins outnumber110 the sand of the sea;
my lawless acts have increased, O Lord, they have increased,
and I am not worthy to gaze upon or to see the height of heaven
due to111 the multitude of my unrighteous acts.
10 I am bent over by the weight of many an iron bond;
consequently112 I am ready to give up113 because of my sins.
I have no rest,
because I have provoked your wrath
and have committed evil in your sight,
erecting abominations114 and increasing the number of115 idols.116
Appeal for Forgiveness
11 So now I bow,117 begging for your kindness.118
12 I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned,
and I fully recognize119 my lawless acts.
13 I sincerely beseech120 you:
forgive me, O Lord, forgive me!121
Please do not destroy me along with my lawless acts!
Do not bear a grudge forever against me and thereby store up calamities122 for me.
Do not sentence me to the lowest parts of the earth.123
For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent.
14 May124 you demonstrate125 your goodness in me.
For although I am unworthy you will deliver126 me by127 your great mercy.
15 And I will praise you continually all128 the days of my life.
For all the powers of heaven sing praises to you.
Doxology