Jonah’s Prayer

17 Now the Lord providedy a huge fish to swallow Jonah,z and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

2 a From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said:

“In my distress I calleda to the Lord,b

and he answered me.

From deep in the realm of the deadc I called for help,

and you listened to my cry.

3 You hurled me into the depths,d

into the very heart of the seas,

and the currents swirled about me;

all your wavese and breakers

swept over me.f

4 I said, ‘I have been banished

from your sight;g

yet I will look again

toward your holy temple.’h

5 The engulfing waters threatened me,b

the deep surrounded me;

seaweed was wrapped around my head.i

6 To the roots of the mountainsj I sank down;

the earth beneath barred me in forever.

But you, Lord my God,

brought my life up from the pit.k

7 “When my life was ebbing away,

I rememberedl you, Lord,

and my prayerm rose to you,

to your holy temple.n

8 “Those who cling to worthless idolso

turn away from God’s love for them.

9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,p

will sacrificeq to you.

What I have vowedr I will make good.

I will say, ‘Salvations comes from the Lord.’ ”

10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.