7 When my soul H5315 fainted H5848 within me I remembered H2142 the LORD: H3068 and my prayer H8605 came in H935 unto thee, into thine holy H6944 temple. H1964
In my distress H6862 I called H7121 upon the LORD, H3068 and cried H7768 unto my God: H430 he heard H8085 my voice H6963 out of his temple, H1964 and my cry H7775 came H935 before H6440 him, even into his ears. H241
But the LORD H3068 is in his holy H6944 temple: H1964 let all the earth H776 keep silence H2013 before H6440 him.
I remember H2142 the days H3117 of old; H6924 I meditate H1897 on all thy works; H6467 I muse H7878 on the work H4639 of thy hands. H3027
But G235 G846 we had G2192 the sentence G610 of death G2288 in G1722 ourselves, G1438 that G3363 we should G3982 not G3363 trust G3982 in G1909 ourselves, G1438 G5600 but G235 in G1909 God G2316 which G3588 raiseth G1453 the dead: G3498 Who G3739 delivered G4506 us G2248 from G1537 so great G5082 a death, G2288 and G2532 doth deliver: G4506 in G1519 whom G3739 we trust G1679 that G3754 he will G4506 G2532 yet G2089 deliver G4506 us;
For G1063 consider G357 him that endured G5278 such G5108 contradiction G485 of G5259 sinners G268 against G1519 himself, G846 lest G3363 ye be wearied G2577 and faint G1590 in your G5216 minds. G5590
And David H1732 was greatly H3966 distressed; H3334 for the people H5971 spake H559 of stoning H5619 him, because the soul H5315 of all the people H5971 was grieved, H4843 every man H376 for his sons H1121 and for his daughters: H1323 but David H1732 encouraged H2388 himself in the LORD H3068 his God. H430
This I recall H7725 to my mind, H3820 therefore have I hope. H3176 It is of the LORD'S H3068 mercies H2617 that we are not consumed, H8552 because his compassions H7356 fail H3615 not. They are new H2319 every morning: H1242 great H7227 is thy faithfulness. H530 The LORD H3068 is my portion, H2506 saith H559 my soul; H5315 therefore will I hope H3176 in him. The LORD H3068 is good H2896 unto them that wait H6960 for him, to the soul H5315 that seeketh H1875 him. It is good H2896 that a man should both hope H3175 H2342 and quietly wait H1748 for the salvation H8668 of the LORD. H3068
Who is among you that feareth H3373 the LORD, H3068 that obeyeth H8085 the voice H6963 of his servant, H5650 that walketh H1980 in darkness, H2825 and hath no light? H5051 let him trust H982 in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 and stay H8172 upon his God. H430
CAPH. My soul H5315 fainteth H3615 for thy salvation: H8668 but I hope H3176 in thy word. H1697 Mine eyes H5869 fail H3615 for thy word, H565 saying, H559 When wilt thou comfort H5162 me? For I am become like a bottle H4997 in the smoke; H7008 yet do I not forget H7911 thy statutes. H2706
Why art thou cast down, H7817 O my soul? H5315 and why art thou disquieted H1993 within me? hope H3176 in God: H430 for I shall yet praise H3034 him, who is the health H3444 of my countenance, H6440 and my God. H430
I had fainted, unless H3884 I had believed H539 to see H7200 the goodness H2898 of the LORD H3068 in the land H776 of the living. H2416
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jonah 2
Commentary on Jonah 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Jon 2:1-10. Jonah's Prayer of Faith and Deliverance.
1. his God—"his" still, though Jonah had fled from Him. Faith enables Jonah now to feel this; just as the returning prodigal says of the Father, from whom he had wandered, "I will arise and go to my Father" (Lu 15:18).
out of the fish's belly—Every place may serve as an oratory. No place is amiss for prayer. Others translate, "when (delivered) out of the fish's belly." English Version is better.
2. His prayer is partly descriptive and precatory, partly eucharistical. Jonah incorporates with his own language inspired utterances familiar to the Church long before in Jon 2:2, Ps 120:1; in Jon 2:3, Ps 42:7; in Jon 2:4, Ps 31:22; in Jon 2:5, Ps 69:1; in Jon 2:7, Ps 142:3; 18:6; in Jon 2:8, Ps 31:6; in Jon 2:9, Ps 116:17, 18, and 3:8. Jonah, an inspired man, thus attests both the antiquity and inspiration of the Psalms. It marks the spirit of faith, that Jonah identifies himself with the saints of old, appropriating their experiences as recorded in the Word of God (Ps 119:50). Affliction opens up the mine of Scripture, before seen only on the surface.
out of the belly of hell—Sheol, the unseen world, which the belly of the fish resembled.
3. thou hadst cast … thy billows … thy waves—Jonah recognizes the source whence his sufferings came. It was no mere chance, but the hand of God which sent them. Compare Job's similar recognition of God's hand in calamities, Job 1:21; 2:10; and David's, 2Sa 16:5-11.
4. cast out from thy sight—that is, from Thy favorable regard. A just retribution on one who had fled "from the presence of the Lord" (Jon 1:3). Now that he has got his desire, he feels it to be his bitterest sorrow to be deprived of God's presence, which once he regarded as a burden, and from which he desired to escape. He had turned his back on God; so God turned His back on him, making his sin his punishment.
toward thy holy temple—In the confidence of faith he anticipates yet to see the temple at Jerusalem, the appointed place of worship (1Ki 8:38), and there to render thanksgiving [Henderson]. Rather, I think, "Though cast out of Thy sight, I will still with the eye of faith once more look in prayer towards Thy temple at Jerusalem, whither, as Thy earthly throne, Thou hast desired Thy worshippers to direct their prayers."
5. even to the soul—that is, threatening to extinguish the animal life.
weeds—He felt as if the seaweeds through which he was dragged were wrapped about his head.
6. bottoms of … mountains—their extremities where they terminate in the hidden depths of the sea. Compare Ps 18:7, "the foundations of the hills" (Ps 18:15).
earth with her bars was about me—Earth, the land of the living, is (not "was") shut against me.
for ever—so far as any effort of mine can deliver me.
yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption—rather, "Thou bringest … from the pit" [Maurer]. As in the previous clauses he expresses the hopelessness of his state, so in this, his sure hope of deliverance through Jehovah's infinite resources. "Against hope he believes in hope," and speaks as if the deliverance were actually being accomplished. Hezekiah seems to have incorporated Jonah's very words in his prayer (Isa 38:17), just as Jonah appropriated the language of the Psalms.
7. soul fainted … I remembered the Lord—beautifully exemplifying the triumph of spirit over flesh, of faith over sense (Ps 73:26; 42:6). For a time troubles shut out hope; but faith revived when Jonah "remembered the Lord," what a gracious God He is, and how now He still preserves his life and consciousness in his dark prison-house.
into thine holy temple—the temple at Jerusalem (Jon 2:4). As there he looks in believing prayer towards it, so here he regards his prayer as already heard.
8. observe lying vanities—regard or reverence idols, powerless to save (Ps 31:6).
mercy—Jehovah, the very idea of whom is identified now in Jonah's mind with mercy and loving-kindness. As the Psalmist (Ps 144:2) styles Him, "my goodness"; God who is to me all beneficence. Compare Ps 59:17, "the God of my mercy," literally, "my kindness-God." Jonah had "forsaken His own mercy," God, to flee to heathen lands where "lying vanities" (idols) were worshipped. But now, taught by his own preservation in conscious life in the fish's belly, and by the inability of the mariners' idols to lull the storm (Jon 1:5), estrangement from God seems estrangement from his own happiness (Jer 2:13; 17:13). Prayer has been restrained in Jonah's case, so that he was "fast asleep" in the midst of danger, heretofore; but now prayer is the sure sign of his return to God.
9. I will sacrifice … thanksgiving—In the believing anticipation of sure deliverance, he offers thanksgivings already. So Jehoshaphat (2Ch 20:21) appointed singers to praise the Lord in front of the army before the battle with Moab and Ammon, as if the victory was already gained. God honors such confidence in Him. There is also herein a mark of sanctified affliction, that he vows amendment and thankful obedience (Ps 119:67).
10. upon the dry land—probably on the coast of Palestine.