Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Hebrews 1 - Contemporary English Version Interconfessional Edition（CEVDCI）

The Prayer of Azariah

1 walked around in the flames, singing praises to the Lord God.

2Then Azariah stood still and prayed out loud:

3You, Lord God of our ancestors,

are worthy to be praised,

and your name

should be honored forever.

4Everything you do is right;

your decisions bring justice.

5You were right to punish us

and to destroy holy Jerusalem,

the city of our ancestors.

Our people have sinned;

6we have broken all your laws

and turned away from you.

7We have disobeyed,

even though your commands

were for our own good.

8You were right to punish us

9and to let us be conquered

by our hateful enemies.

They refuse to obey your Law,

and the most evil king on earth

is their ruler.

10They insult us, your servants.

We are a disgrace

and have no excuse.

But we worship and obey you.

11Please, Lord, for the sake

of your reputation,

keep your agreement with us,

and someday set us free.

12You loved Abraham;

Isaac obeyed you,

and you chose Jacob.

For their sakes, don't take

your mercy from us.

13You promised to give them

more descendants

than there are stars in the sky

or grains of sand on a beach.

14But we sinned,

and so we have become

the smallest nation.

We are ashamed

15because we have no rulers,

no prophets, no leaders.

We have no incense, no altar,

and no sacrifices to please you

or to ask for your mercy.

16But if we are humble

and truly sorry for our sins,

17you will accept us

as if we had offered

a thousand rams and bulls

and ten thousand fat lambs.

You never disappoint those

who trust you, Lord.

We want to be your followers,

so please answer our prayer.

18We promise with all our hearts

to worship and obey you

and to continue praying.

19So please be patient with us

and show us your mercy.

20Work a miracle and rescue us,

so that you, Lord,

will be honored.

21We, your servants, pray

that those who have harmed us

will be disgraced;

crush their mighty power

so they will fail.

22Show them that you alone

are the glorious Lord God,

the Ruler of all the earth.

An Angel Comes into the Fire

23

35All of creation

should sing praises

to the Lord forever.

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36

52Everything on this earth

should sing praises

to the Lord forever.

*

53The mountains and hills

54and all trees and plants

should sing praises

to the Lord forever.

*

55The springs and rivers,

*

56together with the oceans

57and every sea creature,

whether large or small,

should sing praises

to the Lord forever.

*

58Each bird in the sky,

59and every animal,

wild or tame,

should sing praises

to the Lord forever.

60Every human should sing praises

to the Lord forever,

*

61especially his priests

62and his chosen people.

*

63We humans should be humble

*

64and obey the Lord

65with all our heart and soul,

and we should sing praises

to him forever.

66The three of us—

Hananiah, Azariah,

and Mishael—

should sing praises

to the Lord forever,

because if he hadn't rescued us,

we would have died

in a flaming furnace

and gone down

to the world of the dead.

67So praise the Lord

for his goodness,

and praise him for his mercy,

because it will never end.

68Everyone who worships the Lord,

the Supreme God,

should sing his praises

and thank him for his mercy,

because it will never end.