Hillsong Worship – Forever Reign

Happy new year!

Australian megachurch Hillsong is perhaps the number one producer of modern Christian music.  Their songs dominate radio, worship sets, and youth retreats. Their discography is huge!

They occasionally receive awards within their Hillsong United and Hillsong Worship artist groups.  As of this writing, there are no awards for Hillsong Young & Free or Hillsong Kids.

Also, check out my entire list of Hillsong reviews and Christmas songs, Seasons and Prince of Heaven.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Hillsong-worship-forever-reign-lyrics.

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?

This song’s major theme is about contrast, attributes of God, and Hillsong’s response to both.

Contrasts include:

• God’s perfection vs. Hillsong’s wickedness
• God’s illumination vs. shadows that surrounds Hillsong
• God’s tranquility vs. Hillsong’s fright
• God’s truth vs. Hillsong’s doubts
• God’s life vs. defeated death

Attributes and acts of God include:

• Love
• Hope
• Happiness which provides rationale for Hillsong’s singing
• Rules forever
• More than all language can speak
• Is enough

In response, Hillsong enters God’s warm embrace, forsaking their former lifestyle of sin in surrender to God, who is more valuable than anything else Hillsong possesses.  They will boast no other name than God through Jesus, whose name is above all others.

The only issue I have with this song is that Hillsong claims that Christ covered sin.  This is Old Testament thinking.  Under the New Testament, sins are removed, not covered.

Side Note: To those sensitive to massive repetition, this song’s second half repeats Chorus twice, followed by four instances of three lines in Bridge, followed by another two Chorus repeats, ending with two instances of Bridge.

Score: 8/10

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

All lyrics are in agreement with Scripture except for sins covered.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1 and 2: Contrasts Hillsong’s wicked heart (Genesis 3:22, Genesis 8:21, Job 15:14-16, Psalm 14:2-3, Psalm 51:5, Proverbs 22:15, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10-18, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, Romans 6:23, and Ephesians 2:2-3) with God’s goodness (1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 23:6, Psalm 27:13, Psalm 31:19-20, Psalm 34:8, Psalm 86:5, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 119:68, Psalm 135:3, Psalm 136:1, Psalm 145:9, Lamentations 3:25, Nahum 1:7, Matthew 19:17, Mark 10:18, and Luke 18:19).

Line 3: God is love (1 John 4:8).

Line 4: As demonstrated through Christ’s sacrifice (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10).

Lines 5 and 6: God is the light (Psalm 27:1, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 119:130, Matthew 4:16, John 1:1-8, John 8:12, Ephesians 5:14, James 1:17, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 John 1:5-7, and Revelation 21:23) that defeats darkness (Psalm 107:10-16, Luke 1:79, John 1:1-13, John 12:46, Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:13, and 1 Peter 2:9).

Lines 7 and 8: God bore our sins (Isaiah 53:1-12, Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, John 1:29, John 3:16, John 19:30, Acts 4:12, Acts 20:28, Romans 5:6-10, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 1:3-4, Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 2:14, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 9:26, 1 Peter 1:17-21, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:1-2, and Revelation 5:9), which gives Hillsong hope (Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 39:7, Psalm 62:5, Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah 41:10, 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).

[Verse 2]

Lines 1 and 2: Peace comes from God (Matthew 11:28-30, John 14:27, John 16:33, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 4:6-7, Colossians 3:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, and James 3:17), who calls Hillsong out of 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).

Lines 3 and 4: Regardless of how Hillsong responds, God is the truth (John 14:6).

Lines 5 and 6: God is the source of joy that causes Hillsong to sing His praises (1 Chronicles 16:23, Psalm 33:3, Psalm 96:1-2, Psalm 98:1, and Psalm 149:1).  It’s also a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

Lines 7 and 8: God is the life who conquered 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).

[Chorus]

Line 1: Running into the arms of God is a euphemism for taking refuge in Him, Hillsong’s defense (Ruth 2:12, 2 Samuel 22:3-4, Psalm 3:3, Psalm 5:11, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 32:7, Psalm 34:22, Psalm 41:2, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 57:1, Psalm 59:1, Psalm 61:3, Psalm 91:1-16, Psalm 118:8, Psalm 121:7-8, Psalm 138:7, Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 30:5, Nahum 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, and 1 John 5:18).

Line 2: Essentially repeats line 1.

Lines 3 and 4: That is, God is Hillsong’s portion (Psalm 16:5, Psalm 73:26, Psalm 119:57, Psalm 142:5, Lamentations 3:24).

Line 5: Compared to a relationship with God, everything else is considered rubbish (Philippians 3:8).

Line 6: Combines Verse 1, lines 5 with God’s sovereignty (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) for all eternity (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).

[Verse 3]

Lines 1 and 2: If John 21:25 is any indication, the world’s books could not fill up all the wonderful acts of God.

Lines 3 and 4: Every knee will bow and confess Christ as Lord (Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:10-11).

Line 5: God is with Hillsong via the Holy Spirit who lives in them (Acts 6:5, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:16-19, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 5:18, and 2 Timothy 1:14).

Line 6: God sanctifies Hillsong (John 17:19, Romans 8:1, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Philippians 3:9, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 10:10-14, and Hebrews 13:12 ).

Lines 7 and 8: Hillsong surrenders to God, letting go of idols (Psalm 43:5, Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6).

[Bridge]

Lines 1-3: Not that the names “Father” or “Holy Spirit” (and their respective titles) will never be sung, but that Hillsong will exclusively sing of God through the name of Jesus, whose name is above all others (Philippians 2:9).

Lines 4-12: Repeats lines 1-3.

Score: 8/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

The song’s bridge, which describes Jesus as Hillsong’s exclusive song, is the dead giveaway that enables unbelievers to conclude Christianity.  They may not believe the truths spoken within this song, but the differences and attributes described in section 1 are easily understandable with one exception.  For unbelievers, sin is mere error, not lawbreaking.  They are also misled about the nature of Jesus’ relationship with sin.

Score: 7/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God through Biblically accurate divergences, attributes, and acts listed in section 1, alongside Hillsong’s decision to surrender to God’s will.  However, it does not bring Him glory when Hillsong is mistaken about the nature of Jesus’ atoning work in relation to lawbreaking.

Score: 8/10

Closing Comments

Hillsong Worship’s Forever Reign is mostly good.  Much like Paul’s epistles, this song contrasts God with Hillsong, including truth vs. uncertainty, perfection vs. sinful people, and live vs. death.  It also describes God as loving, eternal ruler, and the hope who causes Hillong to sing, glorifying God.  Unbelievers will see language that is accessible to them, making interpretation easy for the most part.  However, my biggest gripe is that Hillsong proclaims sin as covered, not removed.

If “covered could be replaced with “taken”, then I can recommend it for corporate worship.

Final Score: 8/10

Artist Info

Track: Forever Reign (listen to the song)

Artist: Hillsong Worship

Album: A Beautiful Exchange

Genre: Rock

Release Year: 2010

Duration: 5:45

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

Updates:

08/29/2024 – Updated commentary based on critique of “sin” covered vs. removed.  This changed the overall score from 9.5/10 to 8/10.

01/04/2022 – Added Christmas song “Seasons” to introduction.