for KING & COUNTRY – God Only Knows

For King & Country (stylized as for KING & COUNTRY)’s brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone went through several band name changes in their early days, including Austoville and Joel & Luke.

They released six albums and three EP’s under their current name:

• For King & Country: The EP (2011)
• Crave (2012)
• Hope Is What We Crave: Live (2013)
• Into the Silent Night: The EP (2013)
• Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong. (2014)
• The Live Room Sessions at RCA Studio A (2015) (EP)
• Christmas: Live from Phoenix (2017)
• Burn the Ships (2018)
• A Drummer Boy Christmas (2020)

for KING & COUNTRY received four Grammy’s, seven Dove’s, and one Billboard Award, including New Artist of the Year (2013), Best Contemporary Christian Music Album (2015 and 2020), and Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year (2015 and 2016).

Also, check out my review of Burn The Ships.

Throughout this review of God Only Knows, I will refer to this artist as “4K&C”.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/For-king-and-country-god-only-knows-lyrics.

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1. What message does the song communicate?

This song portrays a broken, hurting individual who believes that their past is so dark, those who hear of it would reject them.  This conclusion robs them of sleep as they attempt to fix their problems on their own.

4K&C reminds them that God knows their suffering.  There’s a love that God offers that the world does not, where they could push the reset button.  Though 4K&C does not offer details, Christians will be quick to conclude God’s love expressed through Christ’s sacrifice, making forgiveness of sins possible to receive.  While I don’t expect songs to be sermons, 4K&C could be clearer in their explanation.

This song follows basic format, with a Post-Chorus and Outro.

Score: 8/10

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

The entire song agrees with the Bible.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-6: This is general language that describes a hurting person whose pain runs so deep, they feel that nobody would believe them.  Their solution is to solve it themselves, leading to sleepless nights and general distrust of others.

Lines 7 and 8: Repeats lines 3 and 4.

[Chorus]

Lines 1-3: This is so because God is omniscient (1 Kings 8:39, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalm 44:21, Psalm 139:4, Psalm 147:4-5, Isaiah 40:28, Matthew 10:30, John 16:30, John 21:17, Acts 1:24, Hebrews 4:13, and 1 John 3:20).  No one else can fully grasp their hurt.

Line 4: This is true, even if 4K&C doesn’t tell us this kind of love, namely, a love that is conditioned on His nature, not our works.  He demonstrates this love through Jesus, who paid for our sins (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10).

Lines 5 and 6: Repeats lines 1 and 2.

Line 7: See commentary on lines 1-3.

Line 8: Repeats line 4.

[Post-Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: Partially repeats Chorus, line 4.

[Verse 2]

Line 1 and 2: This unnamed individual has secrets that they believe would preclude others from accepting them if they knew the “real me”.  Perhaps some of it came from judgment, especially those of us who claim to follow Jesus.

Lines 3 and 4: That is, God.  He sees us because He is omnipresent (1 Kings 8:27, Psalm 139:7-12, Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Colossians 1:17, and Hebrews 4:13).  He will never leave nor forsake those who are His (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:8-9, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Psalm 118:6, Lamentations 3:22-23, and Hebrews 13:5-6).

[Bridge]

Lines 1-4: That is, with their personal relationship with God.  4K&C doesn’t explain this, but this individual must repent and trust in Jesus (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15, Luke 24:47, Acts 2:36-38, Acts 3:19-21, Acts 20:21, and 2 Timothy 2:25-26) to begin the process of restoration.

Lines 5-8: Repeats lines 1-4.

Line 9: Repeats Chorus, line 4.

[Outro]

Lines 1-3: See commentary on Chorus, lines 1-3.

Line 9: Repeats Chorus, line 4.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Many unbelievers will have a different interpretation, in part, based on personal experience.  Though they will identify with the unnamed individual’s suffering, without 4K&C’s explanation of restored relationship, many will conclude that God will rescue them from their present scenario.  For some, His choosing not to act is the opposite of love, causing them to reject Christ.

Score: 4/10

4. What does this song glorify?

Though it glorifies God that His love outshines our darkness, 4K&C’s explanation of restored relationship is unclear, veiling it.

Score: 8/10

Closing Comments

for KING & COUNTRY’s God Only Knows is average.  It describes a person in spiritual pain, unable to tell others about their struggles.  Yet, God’s love outshines, one that knows them well and offers a chance to start over, bringing Him glory.  How that occurs is up for interpretation.  Many Christians will think repaired relationship with God while many unbelievers will fail to see God’s love as He hasn’t rescued them from their situation.

This song may inspire others; However, it’s not appropriate for corporate worship.

Final Score: 8/10

Artist Info

Track: God Only Knows (listen to the song)

Artist: for KING & COUNTRY

Album: Burn the Ships

Genre: Pop

Release Year: 2018

Duration: 3:50

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