Di Singers Go First

One army march go out as day dey break. But for di front, no soldiers with spear dey there. Na singers. And dem dey sing: make una thank Di Lord, because im love no dey ever finish.

Jehoshaphat na king of Judah, King Asa son. E don try to lead im people for God way. Then one day, messengers run enter Jerusalem with terrible news. One very big army dey come against you, from di other side of di Dead Sea. Di Moabites, di Ammonites, and others wey join dem. Dem don already reach Hazazon-tamar, wey be En-gedi, for di shore of di Dead Sea, only one or two days of march from here. Fear catch Jehoshaphat. Who fear no go catch? But see wetin e do with im fear. E set im mind to seek Di Lord. E call fast for all Judah. And people pour come from every town to ask Di Lord for help.

Jehoshaphat stand up for di temple courtyard, for di whole crowd front, and pray loud. O Lord, God of our papa-papa dem, no be you be God for heaven? You dey rule over all di kingdoms of di nations. Power and might dey your hand, and nobody fit stand against you. You give dis land to di children of Abraham, your friend. And now dese armies dey come to drive us comot. Then e finish with words wey honest well well. O our God, you no go judge dem? Because we no get power against dis big army wey dey come against us. We no know wetin to do. But our eyes dey on you. And all Judah stand there for Di Lord front, with dia wives and dia children and dia small pikin dem. Dey wait.

Then, for di middle of di crowd, di Spirit of Di Lord come on top one man wey dem dey call Jahaziel, one Levite, from di family of Asaph di musician. And e shout. Listen, all Judah, and you people of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! Dis na wetin Di Lord dey tell una. Make una no fear and make una heart no fall because of dis big army. Because di battle no be una own, na God own. Tomorrow, go down go meet dem. Una no go need to fight dis battle. Take una position, stand still, and see how Di Lord go save una. Make una no fear. Go out tomorrow, and Di Lord go dey with una. Jehoshaphat bow down, im face reach ground. All di people fall down and worship. And di Levites stand up and praise Di Lord, di God of Israel, with very loud voice.

Early di next morning, dem comot go di wilderness of Tekoa. As dem dey go, Jehoshaphat stand and call out. Believe for Di Lord una God, and una go stand firm. Believe im prophets, and una go succeed. Then e do something wey no general don ever do. E choose singers to go for di front of di army, dey praise God for holy beauty and dey sing: make una thank Di Lord, because im love no dey ever finish. And as dem begin sing and praise, Di Lord set ambush against di people wey come attack. Di armies of Ammon and Moab turn against dia friends from Mount Seir, and then against each other. When Judah reach di place wey dem dey use look di wilderness, di battle don already finish. Nobody escape. Di things wey dem collect plenty so tey e take dem three days to gather am. For di fourth day, dem gather for one valley and bless Di Lord, and dem name am di Valley of Beracah, wey mean blessing. Then dem march go back Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, dey rejoice. And Jehoshaphat kingdom get peace.

En-gedi, where di attackers camp, na real oasis for di west shore of di Dead Sea. For di middle of hot, empty desert, fresh springs dey fall from di cliffs enter pools, and plants dey grow green round dem. Na di hiding place wey David use when e run from King Saul. Di Song of Songs talk about di vineyards of En-gedi. Today na nature reserve, and di same springs still dey feed am.

Di singers go first. You go find dis story for Second Chronicles, chapter twenty, verse one reach thirty. One king wey fear catch, wey pray, we no know wetin to do, but our eyes dey on you, and one choir wey march go out for front. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When you no know wetin to do, where you go fix your eyes?