Daniel (Greek) 3:74-89: a reflection

74O let the earth bless the Lord! Let it praise and exalt him above all forever! 75O you mountains and hills, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 76O all you things that grow on the earth, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 77O sea and rivers, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 78O you springs, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 79O you whales and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 80O all you birds of the air, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 81O all you beasts and cattle, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 82O you children of men, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 83O let Israel bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever. 84O you priests of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 85O you servants of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 86O you spirits and souls of the righteous, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 87O you who are holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 88O Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever; for he has rescued us from Hades, and saved us from the hand of death! He has delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame. He has delivered us out of the midst of the fire. 89O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy is forever.

This is part of the great song of praise sung, in the Greek text of Daniel, by the three young men in the fiery furnace. And its sweep is enormous: it calls on all creation to bless the Lord. The earth, the mountains and hills, everything that grows, the seas and rivers, the springs, the creatures of the water, the birds, the beasts, and all people, each is summoned to bless the Lord and exalt him forever. Nothing in all creation is left out of the call to praise.

Notice the vast scope of this praise: all creation is called to bless the Lord. From the great mountains to the smallest growing thing, from the seas to the birds of the air, from all peoples to the humble of heart, everything is summoned to join in praising God. The whole creation, in all its variety, is fitted to give God glory, and is here called to do so, exalting him above all forever.

That call to universal praise draws us in as well. We are part of that creation summoned to bless the Lord; and when we look at the vast scope of the praise, the mountains and seas and skies and all living things joining in, we are reminded that praising God is the fitting response of all that he has made, and that we are meant to join our voices to that great chorus. Let the vastness of this praise lift your own heart to bless the Lord. You are one voice in a creation made to praise its Maker; do not be silent when all creation is called to sing. Join your praise to the great song of the mountains and seas and skies, blessing the Lord and exalting him, as all creation is summoned to do, forever.

Lord, in the fiery furnace the three young men sang a great song calling all creation to bless you: the earth, the mountains, the growing things, the seas and rivers, the creatures and the birds, all peoples and the humble of heart, each summoned to exalt you forever. Draw me into that call to universal praise. I am part of that creation summoned to bless you; and when I look at the vast scope of the praise, the mountains and seas and skies and all living things joining in, I am reminded that praising you is the fitting response of all you have made, and that I am meant to join my voice to that great chorus. Let the vastness of this praise lift my own heart to bless you. I am one voice in a creation made to praise its Maker; keep me from being silent when all creation is called to sing. Help me join my praise to the great song of the mountains and seas and skies, blessing you and exalting you, as all creation is summoned to do, forever. I bless you, Lord; be exalted above all.