1From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.2He said, ‘When I was in trouble, I called out to the LORD. And he answered me. When I was deep in the place of the dead, I called out for help. And you listened to my cry.3You threw me deep into the Mediterranean Sea. I was deep down in its waters. They were all around me. All your rolling waves were sweeping over me.4I said, “I have been driven away from you. But I will look again towards your holy temple in Jerusalem.”5I had almost drowned in the waves. The deep waters were all around me. Seaweed was wrapped around my head.6I sank down to the bottom of the mountains. I thought I had died and gone down into the grave for ever. But you are the LORD my God. You brought my life up from the very edge of the pit of death.7‘When my life was nearly over, I remembered you, LORD. My prayer rose up to you. It reached you in your holy temple in heaven.8‘Some people worship the worthless statues of their gods. They turn away from God’s love for them.9But I will sacrifice a thank-offering to you. And I will shout with thankful praise. I will do what I have promised. I will say, “LORD, you are the one who saves.” ’10The LORD gave the fish a command. And it spat Jonah up onto dry land.
Jonah 2
English Standard Version
Jonah’s Prayer
1Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish,2saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. (Ps 3:4; Ps 118:5; Ps 120:1; La 3:55; La 3:56)3For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. (Ps 42:7; Ps 88:6)4Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ (1Ki 8:35; 1Ki 8:38; Ps 31:22)5The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head (Ps 69:1; La 3:54)6at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.7When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. (2Ch 30:27)8Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. (2Ki 17:15; Ps 31:6; Jer 2:5; Jer 2:13)9But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” (Ps 3:8; Ps 50:14; Ho 14:2; Heb 13:15)10And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.