Jonah’s Prayer
1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and said,
"I called out of my trouble and distress to the Lord,
And He answered me;
Out of the belly of Sheol I cried for help,
And You heard my voice. [Ps 120:1; 130:1; 142:1; Lam 3:55-58]
3 "For You cast me into the deep,
Into the [deep] heart of the seas,
And the currents surrounded and engulfed me;
All Your breakers and billowing waves passed over me. [Ps 42:7]
4 "Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight.
Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ [Ps 31:22]
5 "The waters surrounded me, to the point of death.
The great deep engulfed me,
Seaweed was wrapped around my head. [Ps 69:1; Lam 3:54]
6 "I descended to the [very] roots of the mountains.
The earth with its bars closed behind me [bolting me in] forever,
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit (death), O Lord my God.
7 "When my soul was fainting within me,
I remembered the Lord,
And my prayer came to You,
Into Your holy temple.
8 "Those who regard and follow worthless idols
2:8 Lit Forsake. Turn away from their [living source of] mercy and lovingkindness.
9 "But [as for me], I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I shall pay that which I have vowed.
Salvation is from the Lord!"
10 So the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.