Kings Go Bring Gifts

One long line of camels dey show from di end of di sky, dem dey shake as dem carry heavy load. Gold. Spices. Precious tins from far place. For di front, ambassadors from kingdoms wey dey far dey ride. And all of dem dey go meet one king.

Dis na Psalm seventy-two. Im title connect am with Solomon, King David son, di king wey famous for im wisdom and im riches. Na prayer for di king, maybe wey dem pray when new king sit for throne. Israel neighbours too dey pray for dia kings, dem dey ask for long life, victory and riches. But listen wetin dis prayer first ask for. No be gold. No be army. Justice. Na prayer say make di king dey good, especially to di people wey no get anybody to stand for dem. And as di prayer dey go, e dey reach far pass, until e describe one king wey great pass any king wey Israel ever get.

E start like dis, “God, give di king your justice; your righteousness to di king son. E go judge your people with righteousness, and your poor people with justice.” See whose people dem be: your people, God people. Di king just dey take care of dem for God. And di poor na your poor. God care for dem first. Then di prayer ask, “E go judge di poor among di people. E go save di children of di needy, and e go break di oppressor to pieces.” One king wey dey notice di children of poor families. One king wey dey stop bullies, even di rich and powerful ones.

Then di prayer come fine well-well. “Dem go fear you as long as sun dey, and as long as moon dey, through all generations. E go come down like rain for grass wey dem don cut, like shower wey dey water di earth.” Imagine one field after dem don cut di grass, e dry and bare, and then soft rain dey fall on top am so dat e go green again. Na so good king be. For im days, di righteous go flourish, and peace go plenty until moon no dey again. And then: “E go rule from sea to sea, from di River reach di ends of di earth.” Dis one big pass Israel border.

And now di gifts. “Di kings of Tarshish and of di islands go bring tribute. Di kings of Sheba and Seba go offer gifts. Yes, all kings go bow down for im front. All nations go serve am.” Why? Di very next line explain. “Because e go deliver di needy when e cry; di poor wey no get helper. E go get pity for di weak and di needy.” Di kings dey come because dis king get kind heart. Dem go give am gold of Sheba, and dem go dey pray for am every time. And di prayer end with echo of di promise to Abraham. “Im name go last forever. People go dey blessed through am. All nations go call am blessed.” Solomon great, but e no reach dis level. Christians don hear dis psalm for di story of di wise men, wey come from di east with gold, frankincense and myrrh, and kneel down for di front of one pikin wey poor family born.

Sheba na real kingdom, wey im own people dey call Saba. E dey for di south-west corner of Arabia, for di place wey be Yemen today. Im riches come from di trade of incense and spices wey camel caravans dey carry go north. Archaeologists don dig out im old capital, Marib, with one big temple and di remains of one huge old dam. When Bible talk say di queen of Sheba visit Solomon with camels wey carry spices and gold, na exactly di kind trade wey Saba famous for e dey describe.

Kings go bring gifts. Na Psalm seventy-two be dat, verse one reach seventeen. Prayer for one king wey dey rescue di poor, wey di whole world dey bring dia treasure give. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Di kings honour dis king because e care for di weak. Who be one person wey weak or wey dem leave out, wey you fit care for dis Christmas?