CityAlight – He Calls Me Friend

CityAlight, in the same structure as Hillsong, Elevation Worship, and Bethel, is a band run by a church organization. They hail from St Paul’s Castle Hill in Castle Hill, Australia.  They aim to reach a larger audience with theologically accurate lyrics based on Scripture, realized in my glowing CityAlight reviews!

CityAlight released three albums and one EP, including:

• Yours Alone (2014)
• Only a Holy God (2016)
• Yet Not I (EP; 2018)
• There is One Gospel (Live) (2022)

Check out my other CityAlight reviews.

Lyrics can be found at https://cityalight.com/song/he-calls-me-friend/.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.  I strongly encourage you to consider the potential blessings and dangers of this artist‘s theology by visiting Resources.

1. What message does the song communicate?

Jesus is:

• Companion
• Deliverer
• Present
• Leader
• Strong
• Defense
• True
• Eternally Sovereign
• Hope
• Tranquility
• Nice
• Listener
• Comforter
• Alive

CityAlight is grateful and joyful that Jesus is their friend.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

This song completely aligns with Scripture.

Side Note: In the lyrics linked above, CityAlight has four different sections for Chourus.  All contain the same lyrics.  Therefore, I only created one Chorus section in my analysis.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-3: Jesus is a friend (John 15:13-15 and James 2:23) and Savior (Isaiah 45:21-22, Hosea 13:4, Luke 1:47, Luke 2:11, Acts 13:23, 1 Timothy 2:3, Titus 2:13-14, and 1 John 4:14) to CityAlight.

Line 4: Repeats line 2.

Line 5: He will not forsake CityAlight (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:8-9, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Psalm 118:6, Lamentations 3:22-23, and Hebrews 13:5-6).

Line 6: A reference Jesus makes about Himself (John 10:11).

[Verse 2]

Lines 1 and 2: Almost all the words repeat Verse 1, lines 1 and 2, except that this speaks of His power (Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 22:19, Psalm 28:7-8, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 118:14, Psalm 119:28, Isaiah 12:2, Isaiah 33:2, Isaiah 40:29-31, Habakkuk 3:19, Matthew 11:28-30, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Ephesians 3:16, Ephesians 6:10, and Philippians 4:13).

Line 3: Combines avoiding fear (Genesis 15:1, Joshua 1:9, Deuteronomy 31:6, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 34:4, Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 94:19, Psalm 115:11, Psalm 118:6, Isaiah 35:4, Isaiah 41:10-13, Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 54:4, John 14:25-27, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 13:5-6, 1 Peter 3:13-14, 1 Peter 5:6-7, and 1 John 4:18) with the same idea as Verse 1, line 5.

Line 4: Jesus is CityAlight’s refuge (Genesis 15:1, Deuteronomy 33:29, 2 Samuel 22:3, Psalm 3:3, Psalm 5:11, Psalm 12:5, Psalm 18:1-3, Psalm 20:1, Psalm 27:1-5, Psalm 28:7, Proverbs 30:5, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 34:19, Psalm 46:1-3, Psalm 57:1, Psalms 59:1, Psalm 71:1-6, Psalm 84:11, Psalm 89:18, Psalm 91:1-16, Psalm 115:9, Psalm 121:1-8, Psalm 140:4, Proverbs 14:26, Proverbs 18:10, Isaiah 41:10, 1 Corinthians 10:13, and 2 Thessalonians 3:3).

[Chorus]

Line 1: What a mouthful!  He is:

• Truth (John 14:6)
• King (Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 11:10, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-6, Luke 1:32-33, John 12:15, John 18:37, 1 Timothy 6:13-16, Revelation 17:14, and Revelation 19:11-16)
• Lord of creation (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 4:39, Deuteronomy 10:14, Joshua 2:11, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 29:10, Psalm 45:6, Psalm 50:7-15, Psalm 93:1-2, Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:6, Isaiah 43:13, Isaiah 45:9-10, Isaiah 46:10, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:19-21, Ephesians 1:11, Hebrews 1:8, James 4:15, Revelation 4:11, and Revelation 20:11)

Line 2: He rules eternally (Exodus 15:18, Psalm 10:16, Psalm 29:10, Psalm 145:13, Psalm 146:10, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:3, Daniel 6:26, Micah 4:7, 1 Timothy 6:16, 1 Peter 5:11, and Revelation 11:15).

Line 3: More titles for Jesus, including:

• Hope (Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 5:1-8, Romans 8:24-39, Romans 15:13, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58, and 1 Peter 1:3-6)
• Peace (John 14:27, John 16:29-33, Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:14-15, and Colossians 3:15)
• Savior (see Verse 1, line 3)

Line 4: CityAlight is glad that Jesus considers them friends.

[Verse 3]

Lines 1 and 2: Almost all the words repeat Verse 1, lines 1 and 2, except that it says Jesus is kind (Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 17:7, Psalm 31:21, Psalm 36:7, Psalm 63:3, Psalm 69:16, Psalm 117:2, Isaiah 54:8, Isaiah 63:7, Romans 2:4, Ephesians 2:7, and Titus 3:4-6).

Line 3: He hears CityAlight (1 John 5:14-15).

Line 4: He wipes away tears (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17, and Revelation 21:4).

[Verse 4]

Lines 1 and 2: Repeats Verse 1, lines 3 and 4.

Line 3: Also known as Golgotha or “the skull”, Calvary is where Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, and John 19:17). The English name “Calvary” derives from the Vulgate Latin “Calvariae”, which means “skullcap”.

Line 4: That is, Jesus defeated death (Isaiah 25:8, Hosea 13:14, Luke 20:35-36, 1 Corinthians 15:24-26, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, 2 Timothy 1:10, and Hebrews 2:14).

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers will think CityAlight shows gratitude towards Jesus for all that He as done for them.  The language is everyday and easy to digest.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus with a massive acts/attributes list described in section 1 alongside CityAlight’s grateful hearts.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

CityAlight’s He Calls Me Friend is great.  It contains a litany of actions and properties that Jesus possesses, including His kindness, salvation, sacrifice, authority, and power.  Those who take shelter in Him will experience love, peace, and hope.  These glorify God.  Unbelievers should easily interpret similarly.

I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: He Calls Me Friend (listen to the song)

Artist: CityAlight

Album: N/A

Genre: Hymn

Release Year: 2023

Duration: 4:20

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