1 The three young men, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, started walking about in the flames, singing hymns to God, and praising him as Lord.
2 Then 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.
4 You 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.
5 You did what was right when you brought disaster upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors. We deserved that judgement because of our sins.
6 We disobeyed you, we turned our backs on you, and we are guilty of every sin.
7 We did not do the things that you commanded us to do. If we had obeyed your laws, we would have prospered,
8 but now we deserve the judgement and punishment that you have brought upon us.
9 You have handed us over to lawless, hateful, and defiant enemies — to the most wicked king in the world.
10 And 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.
12 Do 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.
13 You promised to give them as many descendants as the stars in the sky or as the grains of sand along the seashore.
14 But now, Lord, we are fewer in number than any other nation; wherever we are, we live in disgrace because of our sins.
15 We 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.
16 But 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.
17 Accept 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.
18-19 Now 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.
20 O 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.
22 Let them know that you alone are Lord and God and that you rule in majesty over the whole world.”
23 The 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.
24 The flames blazed up to a height of more than twenty metres
25 and even spread out and burnt up the Babylonians standing near the furnace.
26 But an angel of the Lord came down into the fire where the three men were. He pushed aside the flames
27 so 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.
28 There 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.
30 May your glorious, holy namebe held in honour and reverence for ever.
31 May hymns be sung to your glory for everand may your holy presence be praised in that temple,
32 where you sit on your heavenly throne above the winged creaturesand look down to the world of the dead.May you be praised and honoured for ever.
33 May you be praised as you sit on your royal throne.May hymns be sung to your glory for ever.
34 May you be praised in the dome of the heavens.May hymns be sung to your glory for ever.
35 “Praise the Lord, all creation;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
36 Praise the Lord, skies above;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
37 Praise the Lord, all angels of the Lord;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
38 Praise the Lord, all waters above the sky;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
39 Praise the Lord, all heavenly powers;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
40 Praise the Lord, sun and moon;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
41 Praise the Lord, stars of heaven;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
42 Praise the Lord, rain and dew;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
43 Praise the Lord, all winds;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
44 Praise the Lord, fire and heat;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
45 Praise the Lord, bitter cold and scorching heat;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
46 Praise the Lord, dews and snows;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
47 Praise the Lord, nights and days;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
48 Praise the Lord, daylight and darkness;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
49 Praise the Lord, ice and cold;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
50 Praise the Lord, frost and snow;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
51 Praise the Lord, lightning and storm clouds;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
52 “Let the earth praise the Lord;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
53 Praise the Lord, mountains and hills;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
54 Praise the Lord, everything that grows;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
55 Praise the Lord, lakes and rivers;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
56 Praise the Lord, springs of water;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
57 Praise the Lord, whales and sea creatures;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
58 Praise the Lord, all birds;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
59 Praise the Lord, all cattle and wild animals;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
60 “Praise the Lord, all people on earth;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
61 Praise the Lord, people of Israel;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
62 Praise the Lord, priests of the Lord;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
63 Praise the Lord, servants of the Lord;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
64 Praise the Lord, all faithful people;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
65 Praise the Lord, all who are humble and holy;sing his praise and honour him for ever.
66 Praise the Lord, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael;sing his praise and honour him for ever.He rescued us from the world of the deadand saved us from the power of death.He brought us out from the burning furnaceand saved us from the fire.
67 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is goodand his mercy lasts for ever.
68 Praise the Lord, all who worship him;sing praise to the God of gods and give him thanks,for his mercy lasts for ever.”