Jonah 2

1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fishs belly.2 And he said: I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice.3 For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.4 Then I said, I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head.6 I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God.7 When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.8 Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.10 So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

JONAH 2

Jonah's Prayer

1 From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the [Lord] his God:

2 When I was in trouble, [Lord],
I prayed to you,
and you listened to me.
From deep in the world
of the dead,
I begged for your help,
and you answered my prayer.

3 You threw me down
to the bottom of the sea.
The water was churning
all around;
I was completely covered
by your mighty waves.

4 I thought I was swept away
from your sight,
never again to see
your holy temple.

5 I was almost drowned
by the swirling waters
that surrounded me.
Seaweed had wrapped
around my head.

6 I had sunk down deep
below the mountains
beneath the sea.
I knew that forever,
I would be a prisoner there.
But, you, [Lord] God,
rescued me from that pit.

7 When my life was slipping away,
I remembered you—
and in your holy temple
you heard my prayer.

8 All who worship worthless idols
turn from the God
who offers them mercy.

9 But with shouts of praise,
I will offer a sacrifice
to you, my [Lord].
I will keep my promise,
because you are the one
with power to save.
10  t The [Lord] commanded the fish to vomit up Jonah on the shore. And it did.