Simeon Song

Old hands wey don wrinkle stretch out. One young mother wait small, then she gently pass her baby give am. And one old man carry, at last, di one wey e don wait for all im life.

We dey for di temple courts for Jerusalem, around forty days after dem born Jesus. Mary and Joseph don come to present dia first son to di Lord and to bring dia offering of two young birds. And one man wey dem dey call Simeon just reach, di Holy Spirit lead am come. Simeon na just and devout man. For many years e don dey wait make God comfort im people. And God don promise am say e no go die before e see di Lord Messiah. Now, among all di families for di courts wey full, Simeon don find di pikin.

Luke talk say Simeon carry am for im hand, and bless God. No word about crown or throne. Just one baby, few weeks old, small, warm and sleepy, wey one man wey don near di end of im life hold close. Imagine di quiet around dem as di noise of di temple be like say e dey fade. Simeon look down for di small face. And then, with voice wey dey shake, e begin pray. And im prayer become one of di songs wey people love pass for di whole Bible.

Lord, now make your servant go in peace, as you talk. Simeon call imself God servant, and e dey talk to God as im master. E be like watchman wey don dey for duty for many years, and wey finally see di tin wey dem post am to watch for. Now, Lord, you fit release me. My watch don finish. I fit go in peace. E no dey sad. E no dey fear. God don keep im word, and dat one do am. Simeon ready to die, because e don see di one wey God promise.

Because my eyes don see your salvation. Simeon dey carry God salvation for im hand. No be idea, no be plan, but na person. And dat salvation, e talk, God don prepare am for di face of all people. No be only for Israel. Light wey go shine for di Gentiles, and di glory of your people Israel. Di Gentiles na all di oda nations of di world: Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, everybody. Here, for di very heart of Israel temple, one old Jewish man announce say dis baby go bring light to di whole world, and glory to im own people too.

Simeon words dey echo di prophet Isaiah, where God talk about im chosen servant say e go be light for di Gentiles, so dat im salvation go reach di end of di earth. Christians don dey sing Simeon song since dat time. People know am by im first words for Latin, Nunc Dimittis, wey mean, now you dey release. For di Church of England Book of Common Prayer of sixteen sixty-two, na one of di songs wey dem appoint for evening prayer.

Simeon song dey Luke chapter two, verse twenty-eight reach thirty-two. One man wey wait, wey carry God promise for im hand, and wey fit finally rest in peace. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Wetin e go mean for you to talk, like Simeon, my eyes don see your salvation?