He rode into town one dust storm, sheepskin cloak across his back
A preacher man with kind old eyes and a mystery for a past
He said he'd come to teach about the love of God
But he soon learned what they were missing there
Was justice and the law

There was a cattleman who claimed his clan, owned all the land around
And any brave fool who that might dispute, he was quick to snuff 'em out
He'd say, "Take my heed and you won't pay the price
'Cause honor and a name ain't worth a damn if you don't have your life."

He'd say, "Ain't nobody faster than this cattleman's gun
I'm a rattlesnake on the trigger
Your last stand'll be lying in the sand
Falling to the slam of my hammer."

So one man taught forgiveness while the other taught suffering
The preacher said deliverance could be found out on their knees
He said, "I know that you want justice and you want blood
But believe me when I say to you don't try and be that man's judge

'Cause ain't nobody faster than that cattleman's gun
He's a rattlesnake on the trigger
Your last stand'll be lying in the sand
Falling to the slam of his hammer."

One day a young farmer brought his sons to town for feed
And he noticed that the streets were quiet and he knew what that might mean
The smoke rose in the distance, his farm burned to the ground
He let the fury overtake him when Cattleman came back to town

Those boys ran out from behind the crowd and watched their daddy die
The big man laughed and said, "Now look at that, anybody else wanna give it a try?"
Well, the church doors opened with that black cloak flowing behind the preacher's fiery eyes
He said, "Your ticket to Hell is a-coming to you and I got a hollow-point to give you the ride."

And the only thing faster than the cattleman's gun
Was the preacher's handy finger
He pulled iron from his side and let that bullet fly
Beat the rattlesnake to the hammer

While the preacher embraced forgiveness
Oh, they finally understood
Under that sheepskin cloak of his was a history of blood