UBF Daily Bread

'SALVATION COMES FROM THE LORD'

Passage: Jonah 1:17~2:10

Key verse: 2:9

Jonah’s Prayer

¹⁷Now 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. ²He 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.
³You 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)
⁴I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;^(I)
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’^(J)
⁵The engulfing waters threatened me,^[b]
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.^(K)
⁶To 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.
⁹But 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.’”

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

Footnotes

Jonah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1 is numbered 1:17, and 2:1-10 is numbered 2:2-11.
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

1. The LORD provided a huge fish (1:17-2:7)

God intervened by sending a huge fish to swallow Jonah, giving him three days and nights to consider his actions. So Jonah prayed to the LORD his God - the God he had avoided - and God answered. He should have been cut off and banished from God. But God in mercy sent a fish to save him, bringing his life up from the pit. Jonah needed this time to consider and acknowledge the grace of God.

2. "What I have vowed I will make good" (8-10)

Jonah's 3 day retreat in the fish reminded him again of God's love, and how foolish it is to turn away to idols. Although he doesn't confess his sins, his grateful praise is restored. He renews his vow to speak God's word: Salvation comes from the LORD - Jonah will now obey and deliver it. The LORD gives him a second chance when the fish spits him up on shore.

Prayer: Father, you are full of love and grace. When I forget this and become full of myself, please remind me as you did Jonah of your salvation.

One Word: receive and share God's grace