A PRAYER FROM THE DEEP

Passage: Jonah 1:17-2:10

Key verse: 2:9

NIV

Jonah’s Prayer

17 Now the Lord provided(A) a huge fish to swallow Jonah,(B) and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 2 1 [a]From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said:

“In my distress I called(C) to the Lord,(D)
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead(E) I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the depths,(F)
    into the very heart of the seas,
    and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves(G) and breakers
    swept over me.(H)
4 I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;(I)
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’(J)
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,[b]
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.(K)
6 To the roots of the mountains(L) I sank down;
    the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
    brought my life up from the pit.(M)

7 “When my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered(N) you, Lord,
and my prayer(O) rose to you,
    to your holy temple.(P)

8 “Those who cling to worthless idols(Q)
    turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,(R)
    will sacrifice(S) to you.
What I have vowed(T) I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation(U) comes from the Lord.’”

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

Footnotes
  1. Jonah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1 is numbered 1:17, and 2:1-10 is numbered 2:2-11.
  2. Jonah 2:5 Or waters were at my throat
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

A Great Fish Swallows Jonah

17 [a] And the Lord appointed[b] a great fish to swallow up Jonah. (A)And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah's Prayer

2 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying,

(B)“I called out to the Lord, out of my distress,
    and he answered me;
(C)out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
    (D)and you heard my voice.
3 (E)For you cast me into the deep,
    into the heart of the seas,
    and the flood surrounded me;
(F)all your breakers and your waves
    passed over me.
4 (G)Then I said, ‘I am driven away
    from your sight;
(H)yet I shall again look
    upon your holy temple.’
5 (I)The waters closed in over me (J)to take my life;
    the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped about my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I went down,
    to the land whose bars closed upon me forever.
Yet you brought up my life from the pit,
    O Lord my God.
7 When my life was fainting away,
    I remembered the Lord,
(K)and my prayer came to you,
    into your holy temple.
8 (L)Those who pay regard to vain idols
    (M)forsake their hope of steadfast love.
9 (N)But I with the voice of thanksgiving
    will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
    (O)Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

Footnotes
  1. Jonah 1:17 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew
  2. Jonah 1:17 Or had appointed
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

This passage reveals Jonah’s prayer while he was inside the big fish. Jonah tried to run away from God, but, in his love, God did not let him escape. After 3 days and 3 nights inside the belly of the fish, Jonah decided to cry out to God. God heard his cry and commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land.

Throughout the book of Jonah, we see that God saves those who humbly call on Him. We also see that God holds people accountable for their actions. God sometimes works in unusual ways to draw us to repentance and find salvation.

Prayer: Lord, from the depths of despair, hear our cry. Save us from ourselves and from going down the wrong paths in life. Lead us to salvation and light.

One Word: Salvation comes from the Lord