Light of Hope

¹ Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish: ² “I called out to the LORD in my distress, and he answered me. From the belly of the underworld I cried out for help; you have heard my voice. ³ You had cast me into the depths in the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounds me. All your strong waves and rushing water passed over me. ⁴ So I said, ‘I have been driven away from your sight. Will I ever again look on your holy temple? ⁵ Waters have grasped me to the point of death; the deep surrounds me. Seaweed is wrapped around my head ⁶ at the base of the undersea mountains. I have sunk down to the underworld; its bars held me with no end in sight. But you brought me out of the pit.’ ⁷ When my endurance was weakening, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, to your holy temple. ⁸ Those deceived by worthless things lose their chance for mercy. ⁹ But me, I will offer a sacrifice to you with a voice of thanks. That which I have promised, I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the LORD!” ¹⁰ Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto the dry land.