Mbarikiwa - Kale Nilitembea - Usifiwe Msalaba 22 Lyrics
Lyrics
Kale nilitembea Nikilemewa dhambi Nilikosa msaada, kuniponya mateso.
Usifiwe Msalaba! Lisifiwe kaburi! Linalozidi yote, Asifiwe Mwokozi!
Hata nilipofika, Mahali pa Msalaba, Palinifaa sana, Sitasahau kamwe.
Usifiwe Msalaba! Lisifiwe kaburi! Linalozidi yote, Asifiwe Mwokozi!
Hicho ndicho chanzo, Cha kufurahi kwangu. Hapo ndipo mzigo, Uliponituliwa.
Usifiwe Msalaba! Lisifiwe kaburi! Linalozidi yote, Asifiwe Mwokozi!
Panapo msalaba, Kinatolewa cheti, Cha kuingia Mbinguni, Kisicho cha kanisa.
Usifiwe Msalaba Lisifiwe kaburi! Linalozidi yote, Asifiwe Mwokozi!
Yule Bwana mjinga, Likwenda bila cheti, Kitumai kwingia, Kama walio nacho.
Usifiwe Msalaba Lisifiwe kaburi! Linalozidi yote, Asifiwe Mwokozi!
Lipofika langoni, Akaulizwa cheti, Cha kumwonyesha Bwana, Akakutwa hanacho.
Usifiwe Msalaba Lisifiwe kaburi! Linalozidi yote, Asifiwe Mwokozi!
Lituhuzunishalo, Ni ninyi msio nacho, Kuwa kama mjinga, Kwa siku ya arusi!
Usifiwe Msalaba Lisifiwe kaburi! Linalozidi yote, Asifiwe Mwokozi!
Ubavuni mwa Yesu, Mlitokea damu, Chemchemi ya uzima, Itakasayo roho.
Usifiwe Msalaba Lisifiwe kaburi! Linalozidi yote, Asifiwe Mwokozi!
Jitahidi wingie, Damuni mwa Mwokozi, Utafutiwa dhambi, Toka rohoni mwako.
Usifiwe Msalaba Lisifiwe kaburi!
Linalozidi yote, Asifiwe Mwokozi!
Video
KALE NILITEMBEA, Tenzi no 22, Mbarikiwa mwakipesile live ibadani.
Meaning & Inspiration
Sitting down with Mbarikiwa Mwakipesile’s live rendition of Tenzi number 22, I am struck by how quickly he cuts through the fluff of modern religion to hit the raw nerve of the gospel. This isn't a song about feeling good; it is a clinical look at the necessity of the cross. When he sings Kale nilitembea Nikilemewa dhambi, he is talking about the crushing weight of the flesh that Paul describes so vividly in Romans 7. We were all walking under that same burden once, hopeless and looking for a savior to break the chains. Mbarikiwa isn't offering a self-help mantra here. He is pointing back to the empty tomb and the rugged wood where the heavy lifting of our salvation was finished once and for all.
The song’s core theology hinges on the exclusivity of Christ. When Mbarikiwa mentions the cheti—the certificate of entry—he is talking about the finished work of the atonement, not our own efforts or denominational membership. This is the very essence of Ephesians 2:8-9, where we are reminded that salvation is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. The vivid, sobering warning about the person arriving at the gate empty-handed echoes the uncomfortable truth in Matthew 7:21-23. You can show up with your good deeds, your traditions, or your resume of religious activity, but if you lack the blood-bought righteousness of Jesus, you simply do not have the credentials. The gospel is offensive because it demands we abandon our own merit.
Mbarikiwa keeps bringing us back to the source: Ubavuni mwa Yesu, Mlitokea damu. That open side is the fountain of life that Zechariah 13:1 speaks of, a place of cleansing for sin and uncleanness. He is urging us to look past the surface-level rituals and plunge into that fountain. If you think you are okay because you attend a service, look closely at this song. It forces a decision. You are either clinging to the cross as your only hope, or you are the fool at the wedding gate, caught without the garment of Christ’s righteousness. Either the blood cleanses you, or you are carrying the weight of your sin alone; there is no middle ground, and there is no substitute for the Savior.