The Book of Jonah is not only about a storm, a

great fish and a wicked city It is about a prophet

who ran from the mercy of God I heard the word

rise like thunder Go east to the city of blood

But I went down to the harbor And I paid my

fare to run Tarshish called like distance

Like a road without your name

But the sea began to answer And the wind exposed

my shame Down to the ship, down to the storm Down

where my rebellion fell I could not outrun mercy

Even running from myself

I ran from the God who sees me I fled from

the voice I knew But the deep could never hide me

From the hand that pulled me through In the belly

of the darkness When the waves closed over me

I cried from the grave beneath the sea

And mercy found me The sailors cast

their questions The sky turned black with wrath

I told them I had feared you While

I walked the rebel path They threw me to the water

And the storm went still above Then

the deep wrapped all around me Like a judgment made of

love Down past the roots, down past the light

Down where no proud man stands

I ran from the God who sees me I

fled from the voice I knew But the deep could never

hide me From the hand that pulled me through

In the belly of the darkness When the waves closed over

me I cried from the grave beneath the sea

And mercy found me Salvation is of the Lord The truth

broke through the night The fish gave back the prophet To

the shore and to the light So I walked into Nineveh

With ashes in my tome Forty days and judgment comes If

your heart stays stoned Then the king came down from glory

And the violent city mourned Even

beasts stood under sackcloth While the kingdom turned toward the Lord

But I sat outside in anger At the mercy I had

preached I wanted fire from heaven not forgiveness in the streets

I ran from the God who sees me I fled from

the voice I knew But the deep could never hide me

From the hand that pulled me through You spared

me in the darkness You spared the city too

And I still had to learn your mercy Was

never mine to choose

Mine grew up above me Then withered in the dawn

And you asked if I had pity

While the city still lived on