Jonah’s Prayer

¹ From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God, ² saying:

“In my distress I called to the LORD,

and He answered me.

From the belly^* of Sheol I called for help,

and You heard my voice.

³ For You cast me into the deep,^*

into the heart of the seas,

and the current swirled about me;

all Your breakers and waves swept over me.

⁴ At this, I said,

‘I have been banished from Your sight;

yet I will look once more

toward Your holy temple.’

⁵ The waters engulfed me

to take my life;^*

the watery depths closed around me;

the seaweed^* wrapped around my head.

⁶ To the roots of the mountains I descended;

the earth^* beneath me barred me in forever!

But You raised my life from the pit,

O LORD my God!

⁷ As my life was fading away,

I remembered the LORD.

My prayer went up to You,

to Your holy temple.

⁸ Those who cling to worthless idols

forsake His loving devotion.^*

⁹ But I, with the voice of thanksgiving,

will sacrifice to You.

I will fulfill what I have vowed.

Salvation is from the LORD!”

¹⁰ And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.^*