When Joshua, by God’s Command

When Jo­shua

by God’s com­mand

Invaded Ca­naan’s guil­ty land;

Gibeon

un­like the na­tions round

Submission made and mer­cy found.

Their stub­born neigh­bors who

en­raged

United war against them waged

By Jo­shua soon were ov­er­thrown

For Gi­be­on’s cause was now his own.

He

from whose arm they ru­in feared

Their lead­er and al­ly ap­peared;

An em­blem of the Sav­ior’s grace

To those who hum­bly seek His face.

The men of Gi­be­on wore dis­guise

And gained their peace by fram­ing lies;

For Jo­shua had no pow­er to spare

If he had known from whence they were.

But Je­sus in­vi­ta­tions sends

Treating with re­bels as His friends;

And holds the pro­mise forth in view

To all who for His mer­cy sue.

Too long His good­ness I dis­dained

Yet went at last and peace ob­tained;

But soon the noise of war I heard

And for­mer friends in arms ap­peared.

Weak in my­self for help I cried

Lord

I am pressed on ev­ery side;

The cause is Thine: They fight with me

But ev­ery blow is aimed at Thee.