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¹ And they walked in the midst of the fire, praising God, and blessing the Lord.
² Then Azarias stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said,
³ Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:
⁴ For thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us: yea, true are all thy works, thy ways are right, and all thy judgments truth.
⁵ In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us because of our sins.
⁶ For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee.
⁷ In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments, nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, that it might go well with us.
⁸ Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment.
⁹ And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world.
¹⁰ And now we cannot open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproach to thy servants, and to them that worship thee.
¹¹ Yet deliver us not up wholly, for thy name’s sake, neither disannul thou thy covenant:
¹² And cause not thy mercy to depart from us, for thy beloved Abraham’s sake, for thy servant Isaac’s sake, and for thy holy Israel’s sake;
¹³ To whom thou hast spoken and promised, that thou wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lieth upon the sea shore.
¹⁴ For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins.
¹⁵ Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy.
¹⁶ Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted.
¹⁷ Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be in thy sight this day, and grant that we may wholly go after thee: for they shall not be confounded that put their trust in thee.
¹⁸ And now we follow thee with all our heart, we fear thee, and seek thy face.
¹⁹ Put us not to shame: but deal with us after thy lovingkindness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies.
²⁰ Deliver us also according to thy marvellous works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord: and let all them that do thy servants hurt 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 thou art God, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.
²³ And the king’s servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood;
²⁴ So that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits.
²⁵ And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.
²⁶ But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azarias and his fellows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven;
²⁷ And made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, 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 art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
³⁰ And blessed is thy glorious and holy name: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
³¹ Blessed art thou in the temple of thine holy glory: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
³² Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
³³ Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
³⁴ Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and above all to be praised and glorified for ever.
³⁵ O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
³⁶ O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
³⁷ O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
³⁸ O all ye waters that be above the heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
³⁹ O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴⁰ O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴¹ O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴² O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴³ O all ye winds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴⁴ O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴⁵ O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴⁶ O ye dews and storms of snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴⁷ O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴⁸ O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁴⁹ O ye ice and cold, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵⁰ O ye frost and snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵¹ O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵² O let the earth bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵³ O ye mountains and little hills, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵⁴ O all ye things that grow on the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵⁵ O ye fountains, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵⁶ O ye seas and rivers, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵⁷ O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵⁸ O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁵⁹ O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁶⁰ O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁶¹ O Israel, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁶² O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁶³ O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁶⁴ O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁶⁵ O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
⁶⁶ O Ananias, Azarias, and Misa
🌊 Worship in the Fire: Unshakable Faith and Heaven’s Response 🌊
“Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, and glorified, and blessed God in the furnace…” – Song of the Three Children 1:28
The Song of the Three Children is a divine interruption of suffering with praise. Set in the blazing furnace of Babylon, this apocryphal chapter expands on Daniel Chapter 3, revealing what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego prayed and sang while surrounded by fire. Rather than despair, they lifted up a beautiful liturgy of repentance, trust, and worship—a reminder that the fiercest trials are the stage for our loudest praise.
This chapter is not only poetic—it is powerful theology. It teaches us that God meets His people in the fire, responds to praise, and turns judgment into mercy when we repent with humble hearts.
📜 Structure of the Song of the Three Children
Verses 1–22: The Prayer of Azariah
Azariah (Abednego), standing amid the flames, offers a heartfelt confession and plea. He acknowledges Israel’s sin, accepts God’s judgment as just, and pleads for divine mercy—not based on their merit, but for the sake of God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His prayer is a blueprint of repentance: bold in sorrow, yet rooted in the memory of God’s promises.
“Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted.” (v. 16)
Verses 23–27: Divine Intervention
God responds. An angel descends into the furnace, drives out the flame, and makes the midst of the fire feel like a dew-filled breeze. The very thing meant to destroy them becomes a place of peace. This moment reminds us that God does not always take us out of the fire—He joins us in it.
Verses 28–68: The Hymn of Praise
What follows is a magnificent song of praise, often called The Benedicite. The three children, with one voice, call on all creation to bless the Lord: the sun, moon, stars, wind, fire, frost, beasts, birds, and people. It is a sweeping invitation to all of nature and humanity to join them in glorifying God.
This part echoes Psalm 148, reminding us that all creation is in tune with the Creator, and we too are called to lift our voices in worship no matter the circumstances.
💡 Key Themes
✨ Repentance that Moves Heaven
Azariah’s prayer shows us that honest repentance draws God’s mercy. Even in exile, without temple or sacrifice, he offers a contrite spirit—and that’s all God requires.
✨ Worship in the Fire
Praise is not reserved for peaceful days. These young men teach us that true worship erupts in trials, and becomes a testimony of unshakable faith.
✨ Creation Joins in Praise
Their song connects the human heart with the cosmic chorus of creation. All things were made to glorify God—and we are most alive when we join that praise.
👤 Key People
- Azariah (Abednego) – Leads a powerful prayer of repentance and trust.
- Shadrach and Meshach – Join in unified praise, standing firm in the flames.
- The Angel of the Lord – A divine deliverer, possibly a Christophany, who brings peace into the fire.
🔥 Why the Song of the Three Children Matters
The Song of the Three Children shows that praise is warfare. It pushes back the darkness, silences fear, and draws God’s presence. When we are faithful in the fire, our trials become testimonies, and God is glorified before nations.
💭 Let’s Reflect
- Do you worship God in the fire, or only after you’ve been delivered?
- Are you offering your heart like Azariah did—humble, honest, and trusting?
- How can your praise invite others, even creation, to glorify God with you?