There in the Judean night he looked upon the city,
Beheld the broken walls, the gates consumed by fire,
And rode his beast around the stone that lay in rubble.
Few knew what he had done, to what he might aspire.
We in our caution might have asked, Did he do well
To leave the luxury of Artaxerxes' halls,
Request his generous aid, and bring his substance here,
Seeking the restoration of these broken walls?
Resistance there would be and scorn and cries of treason
And fearful threats and subtle guile and men's dismay.
The builder would be warrior; the burden bearer called
To stand long watch by night, do toilsome work by day.
Would it be worth the cost to build walls for this city
Wherein to worship God, the perfect and the pure,
Establish once again His rule of righteous living,
Be governed by His law, and therefore be secure?
Will it be worth the cost, we ask ourselves the question,
To strengthen our defenses, building stone on stone
A wall of righteousness, assuring our protection
From those aggressive evils which we all have known?
We feel the hand of God, and it is good upon us.
We know what we must say when Truth's demand has filled
Our thought: "The God of heaven, he will prosper us;
Therefore we his servants will arise and build."
