Jonah 2

New International Reader's Version

“When I was in trouble, I called out to the Lord.
    And he answered me.
When I was deep in the place of the dead,
    I called out for help.
    And you listened to my cry.
³ You threw me deep into the Mediterranean Sea.
    I was deep down in its waters.
    They were all around me.
All your rolling waves
    were sweeping over me.
⁴ I said, ‘I have been driven away from you.
    But I will look again
    toward your holy temple in Jerusalem.’
⁵ I had almost drowned in the waves.
    The deep waters were all around me.
    Seaweed was wrapped around my head.
⁶ I sank down to the bottom of the mountains.
    I thought I had died
    and gone down into the grave forever.
But you are the Lord my God.
You brought my life up
    from the very edge of the pit of death.

⁷ “When my life was nearly over,
    I remembered you, Lord.
My prayer rose up to you.
    It reached you in your holy temple in heaven.

⁸ “Some people worship the worthless statues of their gods.
    They turn away from God’s love for them.
⁹ But I will sacrifice a thank offering to you.
    And I will shout with thankful praise.
I will do what I have promised.
    I will say, ‘Lord, you are the one who saves.’ ”