Jonah’s Prayer

1From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2He said:

“In my distress I called to the Lord,

and he answered me.

From the depths of the gravea I called for help,

and you listened to my cry.

3You hurled me into the deep,

into the very heart of the seas,

and the currents swirled about me;

all your waves and breakers

swept over me.

4I said, ‘I have been banished

from your sight;

yet I will look again

toward your holy temple.’

5The engulfing waters threatened me,b

the deep surrounded me;

seaweed was wrapped around my head.

6To the roots of the mountains I sank down;

the earth beneath barred me in forever.

But you brought my life up from the pit,

O Lord my God.

7“When my life was ebbing away,

I remembered you, Lord,

and my prayer rose to you,

to your holy temple.

8“Those who cling to worthless idols

forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

9But I, with a song of thanksgiving,

will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good.

Salvation comes from the Lord.”

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