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The bottom of the sea was Jonah's holy ground, and the belly of the fish his consecrated oratory. His gloomy prison was turned into a house of prayer. Jonah evidently retained his consciousness during the term of his imprisonment. We have only the substance of the captive's prayer preserved for us.

1. The spiritual exercises with which the prophet's prayer is identified. It is impossible to conceive of a more critical or distressing condition than that to which the servant of God was reduced.

2. The conclusion of unbelief. "Then I said, I am cast out of Thy sight." An outcast from Divine favour.

3. The victory of faith. "Yet will I look again towards Thy holy temple." See faith's realised triumph, "Yet hast Thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God."

4. The ardour of Jonah's gratitude.

5. His emphatic ascription. "Salvation is of the Lord." Notice also the evidence of spiritual reclamation which the prophet's prayer supplies. This is seen in his altered feeling towards God. In the rekindling of the spirit of devotion. In the vigorous action of faith. In the expression of this faith Jonah embodied the sentiments of former saints. The prophet's mind was evidently richly stored with the Word of God.

(John Broad.)

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KJV: Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,

WEB: Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh, his God, out of the fish's belly.