2
Jonah prayed to God
1 Then Jonah prayed to God from inside that fish. He talked about the things that happened to him in the water before that fish came.
2 He said,
“Yahweh, when I got trouble, I called out to you, and you answered me.
I nearly died, but I called out for help, and you listened to me.
3 This is what happened.
First you made me go down into deep water, into the middle of the sea.
The water moved all around me. You sent big waves over me.
4 I knew that you sent me away. You didn’t want to look at me any more.
But I also knew that I will get to go to your good ceremony house again.
5 That water tried to drown me.
Deep water was all around me.
Seaweed wrapped around my head.
6 I sank down to the bottom of the sea, deep down in the earth.
It was like gates locked around me, I thought I was stuck there for ever.
But you, my God, you saved my life. You pulled me up from that deep dark place.
7 My life was finishing up, and I called out to you my God.
My prayer went up to you, to your special place where you live.
8 God, you are good to your people, and you keep your promises.
But some people don’t respect you, and they turn away from you.
Those people show respect to things they think are gods that have no power.
So those people will miss out on the good things that you do for your people.
9 But God, I will sing to you to say thank you.
And I will kill animals to give them to you, to show respect to you.
I promise I will do that.
You are the only one that saves people.”
10 And then God talked to that fish, and it spat Jonah on to dry ground.