When Joseph His Brethren Beheld

When Jo­seph his breth­ren beheld

Afflicted and trem­bling with fear;

His heart with com­passion was filled

From weep­ing he could not for­bear.

Awhile his be­hav­ior was rough

To bring their past sin to their mind;

But when they were hum­bled enough

He hast­ed to show him­self kind.

How lit­tle they thought it was he

Whom they had ill treat­ed and sold!

How great their con­fu­sion must be

As soon as his name he had told!

I’m Joseph

your bro­ther

he said

And still to my heart you are dear;

You sold me

and thought I was dead

But God

for your sakes

sent me here.

Though great­ly dis­tress­èd before

When charged with pur­loin­ing the cup;

They now were con­found­ed much more

Not one of them dared to look up.

Can Joseph

whom we would have slain

Forgive us the ev­il we did?

And will he our house­holds main­tain?

O this is a bro­ther indeed!

Thus dragged by my con­science

I came

All la­den with guilt

to the Lord;

Surrounded with ter­ror and shame

Unable to ut­ter a word.

At first He looked stern and sev­ere

What ang­uish then pierc­èd my heart!

Expecting each mo­ment to hear

The sen­tence

Thou curs­èd

de­part!

But O! what sur­prise when He spoke

While ten­der­ness beamed in His face;

My heart then to piec­es was broke

O’erwhelmed and con­found­ed by grace:

“Poor sin­ner

I know thee full well

By thee I was sold and was slain;

I died to re­deem thee from hell

And raise thee in glo­ry to reign.

“I am Je­sus

whom thou hast blas­phemed

And cru­ci­fied oft­en afresh;

But let Me hence­forth be es­teemed

Thy bro­ther

thy bone

and thy flesh:

My par­don I free­ly be­stow

Thy wants I will ful­ly sup­ply;

I’ll guide thee and guard thee be­low

And soon will re­move thee on high.

Go

pub­lish to sin­ners around

That they may be will­ing to come

The mer­cy which now you have found

And tell them that yet there is room.

O

sin­ners

the mes­sage ob­ey!

No more vain ex­cus­es pre­tend;

But come

with­out fur­ther de­lay

To Je­sus

our bro­ther and friend.