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.