Chris' prayer: Matt Maher's "Jericho"

I am always perplexed by songs that are titled with something other than a word or line from the refrain, and even more so when the title doesn't occur anywhere in the song.

So off to usccb.org and wikipedia to learn about why this song is called Jericho. Jericho is the Promised Land, the land that the Israelites were lead to after leaving Egypt. Moses, and then Joshua, lead them there. After 40 years wandering in the desert, they had finally reached their destination. They had finally found home. This, I think, makes sense, as the song is very much one praising God for what He has given to the person singing.

But then there is the chant at the beginning: Let the walls come down. This seems like it would refer to the Battle of Jericho, where Joshua lead the people against the city of Jericho. Wikipedia describes that event like this:

The Biblical account describes the Israelites being lead by Joshua and crossing the Jordan into Canaan where they laid siege to the city of Jericho. There God spoke to Joshua telling him to march around the city once every day for six days with the seven priests carrying ram's horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times and the priests were to blow their ram's horns. This Joshua did, and he commanded his people not to give a war-cry until he told them to do so. On the seventh day, after marching around the city the seventh time, the priests sounded their ram's horns, and Joshua ordered the people to shout. The walls of the city collapsed, and the Israelites were able to charge straight into the city. The city was completely destroyed, and every man, woman, and child in it was killed.

Everyone died? That doesn't seem like something to be singing and praising about.

So, what exactly is this song about? Can someone explain it to me?


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