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Darius Was the Medo-Persian King

Darius was the Medo-Persian king,
Which means he was in charge of everything.
One hundred twenty satraps gave account,
So he would have an up-to-date amount;
All this so that he might not suffer loss.

‘Since that’s a lot of folks to oversee,
The count of chief officials numbered three,
So Daniel and two others got it done,
But Daniel was the most distinguished one,
A fact that made the others rather cross.

So well did Daniel, his duties discharge,
That king Darius resolved to enlarge
His role, and set him over all the realm.
The satraps hated Daniel at the helm,
So they sought to find grounds for a complaint.

And look they did, but they could find no clue,
For he was faithful, loyal, honest, true.
Discouraged, tired, ready to disband,
A trap to make him break his God’s command
Was set, his sterling reputation taint.

The satraps opted, secret, to withdraw,
Conspired to get the king to pass a law:
Petitions made to any but the king
For thirty days would treason charges bring,
And get one tossed into the lions’ den.

“Establish the injunction now, O king!
And seal the order with your royal ring,
Protecting it against repeal this day,
According to our Medo-Persian way.”
So King Darius sealed with ring and pen.

When Daniel heard the order was now signed,
He slipped home quietly without a whine;
He knelt down by a window on the floor, 
Gave thanks to Israel’s God just as before;
Upon his knees prayed morning, noon, and night.

The satraps, seeing Daniel on his face,
Then went before the King to plead their case,
“O King, did you not just sign a decree
That no one can petition naught but thee,
Or in the den of lions, they must light?”

“Yes, that is what I said, and that’s my word.
The law stands fast, the penalty incurred.”
“O King, this Daniel, exiled with the Jews,
Prays to his God, does not petition you!”
And thus, these jealous satraps tripped their trap.

The king, on hearing this, was much distressed,
And sought the situation to redress,
And so deliver Daniel, set things right.
The sun set on his labors; it was night.
The King could not help Daniel beat this rap.

“O King, you know the rule, for it is plain,
By Medo-Persian law, it must remain!”
Darius gave the order to his men;
Daniel was cast into the lion’s den.
“My friend, may God you serve deliver you!”

Across the opening, they laid a stone;
The signets of the lords and of his own 
Were used to place a seal upon the tomb.
He tried to fast and sleep up in his room,
But counting sheep, the lions ate the ewes.

Then, at the break of dawn, he ran in haste,
Cried out in woe, and for the grisly, braced.
“O Daniel, my dear friend, are you still there?
And did your God preserve you in his care?”
“O King, forever live!” Daniel declared.

“The angel of the Lord has shut their jaws;
They did not even scratch me with their claws!
For he has found me wholly without blame,
And also before you, kept my good name.
All praise goes to my God; my life, He spared!”

At this, the king felt joy beyond compare,
Commanded Daniel to be hauled from there.
What of the men who had accused his friend?
Arrested, bound, and thrown into the den!
Now ravenous, the lions crunched their bones.

The king, throughout the world, sent a decree,
“Good people of the realm, peace be on thee!
The God of Daniel, know with reverence, dread,
For He’s God of the living, not the dead.
His kingdom reigns until the end of time,
He rescues, He delivers, He works signs
And wonders both in heaven and on earth,
For Daniel’s God is of infinite worth!”
Thus, Daniel’s faith in God helped see him through
first, Darius, and then King Cyrus too!

(from Daniel 6)

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