Jonah's Prayer
1
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.
2
He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
3
You 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.
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I said, 'I have been banished from your sight;
yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'
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The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
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To 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.
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"When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.
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"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs
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But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.
10
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.