2
Jonah’s Prayer
1 While Jonah was in the stomach of the fish, he prayed to the LORD his God. He said,
2 “I was in very bad trouble.
I called to the LORD for help,
and he answered me.
I was deep in the grave.
I cried to you,
and you heard my voice.
3 “You threw me into the sea.
Your powerful waves splashed over me.
I went down, down into the deep sea.
The water was all around me.
4 Then I thought, ‘Now I must go where you cannot see me,’
but I continued looking to your holy Temple for help.
5 “The seawater closed over me.
The water covered my mouth,
and I could not breathe.*
I went down, down into the deep sea.
Seaweed wrapped around my head.
6 I was at the bottom of the sea,
the place where the mountains begin.
I thought I was locked in this prison forever,
but the LORD my God took me out of my grave.
God, you gave me life again!
7 “My soul gave up all hope,
but then I remembered the LORD.
I prayed to you,
and you heard my prayers in your holy Temple.
8 “Some people worship useless idols,
but those statues never help them.†
9 I will give sacrifices to you,
and I will praise and thank you.
I will make special promises to you,
and I will do what I promise.”
Salvation only comes from the LORD!
10 Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out of its stomach onto the dry land.
* 2:5 mouth, and I could not breathe Or “The water surrounded me to my soul.” The Hebrew word for soul also means “life,” “self,” or “appetite,” and “throat” or “mouth.” † 2:8 Or “People who worship useless things have left the one who is kind to them.”