1Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish,

2and he said,
         “I called out of my distress to the LORD,
         And He answered me.
         I cried for help from the depth of Sheol;
         You heard my voice.

3“For You had cast me into the deep,
         Into the heart of the seas,
         And the current engulfed me.
         All Your breakers and billows passed over me.

4“So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Your sight.
         Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’

5“Water encompassed me to the point of death.
         The great deep engulfed me,
         Weeds were wrapped around my head.

6“I descended to the roots of the mountains.
         The earth with its bars was around me forever,
         But You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.

7“While I was fainting away,
         I remembered the LORD,
         And my prayer came to You,
         Into Your holy temple.

8“Those who regard vain idols
         Forsake their faithfulness,

9But I will sacrifice to You
         With the voice of thanksgiving.
         That which I have vowed I will pay.
         Salvation is from the LORD.”

      10Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

NASB ©1995