His Prayer of Thanksgiving

This beautiful song of deliverance shows clearly the familiarity of the writer with earlier Psalms. It reflects very plainly the horror inspired by the sea in the minds of an inland people. It is not necessary, on the interpretation adopted, to argue whether or not it is suitable to Jonah's position. Advocates of the national view of the book think it specially suitable to describe the sorrows of the people when drowning in the deep gulf of exile. If so, the references to 'thy holy temple' are not happy. On the whole, a personal application suits best the quotations from the Psalms, especially Jon 2:4 = Psalms 31:22; Jon 2:9 = Psalms 42:4; Psalms 50:14.

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