Jonah’s Prayer
1 aThen Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish.
1 aThen Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish.
2 He said,
“I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble,
and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,b
and LORD, you heard me!
“I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble,
and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,b
and LORD, you heard me!
3 You threw me into the ocean depths,
and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
4 Then I said, ‘O LORD, you have driven me from your presence.
Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’
Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’
5 “I sank beneath the waves,
and the waters closed over me.
Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
and the waters closed over me.
Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
6 I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.
I was imprisoned in the earth,
whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O LORD my God,
snatched me from the jaws of death!
I was imprisoned in the earth,
whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O LORD my God,
snatched me from the jaws of death!
7 As my life was slipping away,
I remembered the LORD.
And my earnest prayer went out to you
in your holy Temple.
I remembered the LORD.
And my earnest prayer went out to you
in your holy Temple.
8 Those who worship false gods
turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
9 But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
and I will fulfill all my vows.
For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.”
and I will fulfill all my vows.
For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.”
10 Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.