Jericho from Cities by Jonathon Roberts

Jericho personifies the Biblical city of Jericho and is inspired by its story, told in Joshua 6:

“…Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in….” (exceprt)

If you are a city with emotions, how does it feel to hear you will be captured, devoted, cursed, redeemed? It was curious to imagine this, to dwell on Jericho’s collapse, and then imagine how the city might feel to know that one part of its city, a part it was sure God would hate, God loved. From this small part, comes the Savior of the world.

Tracklist

4.	Jericho	5:13

Lyrics

I guard myself I know who you are
That you will pursue me if I let my guard down
So I stay secure, nothing in nothing out
Still you say that I am, that I am, that I am already yours
That I am already yours
I am delivered in your hands

You take your soul and your song and you play,
you play music as you circle me once a day
You never shout,
You wrap around me early in the morning and you hold me for days
You hold me for days
I am delivered in your hands

A week later you are still circling me
A week later you are still circling me
A week later you are still circling me

You are circling me when I hear the blast
I hear your voice, I hear you shout
And all my walls, my walls fall down

And I am exposed
My silver and my gold
What’s sacred, in your hands

I can’t keep you out everything I have, everything I have is being destroyed
I am cursed
And so is anyone who helps me, don’t try to help me cause I’m already–

I’m burned, Everything is over,
There’s a fire behind my gates and I’m gone,
I’m devoted, I am devoted, I am devoted by the edge of the sword

Yet one small part of me that’s a harlot,
a part I was sure you would hate, you love
It’s a life you carry, a life you love, she's gonna save the world

There’s a part of me that’s a harlot,
a part I was sure you would hate, you love
It’s a life you carry, a life you love, she’s gonna save the world

Credits

from Cities, released February 22, 2017
Jonathon Roberts: vocals, piano, drum programming
Emily Clare Zempel: vocals, bassoon
Ariana Rosen: violin
Kevin Gosa: soprano and alto saxophones
Meaghan Burke: cello, backing vocals
James Hall: Trombone

Music, lyrics, and production by Jonathon Roberts

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