Photo by Andrew Seaman
Relative newcomers We the Kingdom began in 2018, releasing one album and 5 EP’s. These include:
- Live at the Wheelhouse (EP, 2019)
- Live Acoustic Sessions (EP, 2020)
- The Awakening (EP, 2020)
- The Battle (EP, 2020)
- The Journey (EP, 2020)
- Holy Water (2020)
We the Kingdom won a GMA Dove award in 2020 for New Artist of the Year.
Also, check out my reviews of Don’t Tread on Me and Holy Water.
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.
1. What message does the song communicate?
This song invites everyone to bring their worries, shame, and heavy loads to the feet of Jesus. Through Christ, we will experience living water that will never run dry, forgiveness for lawbreaking, and blessing. We praise God for His sacrificial love, attaining eternal life.
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
All the lyrics of this song are Scriptural.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
Come all you weary, come all you thirsty
References Matthew 11:28.
Come to the well that never runs dry
References Isaiah 58:11.
Drink of the Water, come and thirst no more
References John 4:14.
[Verse 2]
Come all you sinners, come find His mercy
A call to unbelievers to receive God’s undeserved favor. The first part probably borrows from James 4:8. The second from Hebrews 4:16.
Come to the table, He will satisfy
That is, the table of communion (Luke 22:14-20), where we are content (Philippians 4:11-13).
Taste of His goodness, find what you’re looking for
The first part references Psalm 34:8. The second, Matthew 7:7 and Luke 11:9.
[Chorus (1)]
For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever
Quotes from the famed John 3:16.
[Verse 3]
Bring all your failures, bring your addictions
Come lay them down at the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting there with open arms
Can you see His open arms? Here we go
The “foot of the cross”, though not itself in Scripture, is a modern representation of Christ’s suffering. For Him to bear 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), we must be willing to lay them at His feet (Matthew 11:28-30).
[Chorus (2)]
For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever
Repeats Chorus (1), lines 1-3.
The power of hell forever defeated
That is, death was defeated (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).
Now it is well, I’m walking in freedom
This references Horatio Spafford’s hymn It Is Well With My Soul. We The Kingdom is free from their burdens caused by sin (see commentary on Verse 3).
For God so loved, God so loved the world
Repeats the first part of line 1.
[Bridge]
Praise God, praise God
We The Kingdom invites us to worship God.
From whom all blessings flow
God blesses us (1 Chronicles 16:34, 2 Chronicles 5:13, Psalm 7:17, Psalm 9:1-20, Psalm 107:8-9, Psalm 95:2-3, Psalm 106:1, Jeremiah 30:19, Jeremiah 33:11, 1 Corinthians 1:4-5, 2 Corinthians 4:15, 2 Corinthians 9:11-12, Colossians 3:16-17, and 1 Timothy 4:4-5).
These first two lines borrow from Thomas Ken’s hymn Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow.
Praise Him, praise Him
See line 1.
For the wonders of His love
As shown on the cross (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10).
Praise God, praise God
From whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, praise Him
For the wonders of His love
Repeats lines 1-4.
His amazing love
Essentially repeats line 4.
[Outro]
Bring all your failures, bring your addictions
Come lay them down at the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting, God so loved the world
Combines Verse 3, lines 1-3a, and Chorus, line 1a.
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Unbelievers will likely believe that they are called to action, namely, to bring their hurts and hang-ups to Jesus. They should easily conclude it’s Christian based on the John 3:16 quote and explicit usage of the word “Jesus”, combined with everyday language to ease examination. Even the word “sinners” is explained later in the song, as failures and addictions.
Score: 10/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies God that this song pleads with its hearers to follow Jesus.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
We The Kingdom’s God So Loved is a great song. It is evangelistic, compelling us to surrender our problems to Christ. His love and compassion draw us near to Him, bringing Him glory. Those outside Christianity should easily interpret similarly.
This song is perfect for an altar call, especially in seeker-sensitive churches. Consider adding it to your worship set.
Final Score: 10/10
Artist Info
Track: God So Loved (listen to the song)
Artist: We The Kingdom
Album: Holy Water
Genre: Rock
Release Year: 2020
Duration: 4:25
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2019 We The Kingdom Music (BMI) Bay19 (ASCAP) Scott Cash Publishing Designee (BMI) Angie Feel Good Songs (ASCAP) Capitol CMG Genesis (ASCAP) Capitol CMG Paragon (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updates:
09/27/2022 – Andrew found that the first two lines of Bridge come from a hymn. Great find, Andrew!
Comments
Gregory Bruce Campbell
I LOVE your web site! you do a great job! Many of these songs you dissect, I add one more perspective ESPECIALLY concerning your category titled “CORPORATE WORSHIP?”
In my opinion and how I select songs… This song can not be corporate worship (I find this true with most of the songs that you mark “yes” under “CORPORATE WORSHIP?”. Because it is not singing to God, it is people singing to each other not God 🙂 I am commenting NOT to troll you or insult anyone but to ask what you think about this vantage point? I believe that when we call something worship and the lyrics are not speaking directly to God 100% of the song, then we are not worshiping. we might be testifying and or teaching, but we are not worshiping. what are your thoughts on my opinion?
Vince Wright
Gregory,
Thank you for your commenta and inquiry!
I created an “other” category for uses during a corporate worship service, but they are not “corporate worship” songs as I’ve defined it. All your examples would fit under the “other” umbrella of my “corporate worship” rating system.
-Vince Wright
Neal Cruco
This is an interesting perspective, Gregory. I don’t agree with it, but it is interesting to consider songs that directly address God vs songs that do not. From a few minutes’ thought, I can say that this perspective would invalidate the hymns “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”, “Brethren We Have Met to Worship”, and “Praise Him! Praise Him!” for use in worship services, since they speak about God and not to God. (And there are surely many more songs like them!)
But really, this thought experiment doesn’t go far enough, because you’ve said that when “the lyrics are not speaking directly to God 100% of the song, then we are not worshiping”. So that would rule out for worship any song that does not ALWAYS address God directly, rather than just songs that NEVER address God directly. Which is surely much greater- perhaps any song that ever refers to God using third-person pronouns rather than second-person pronouns.
Thoughts? Am I correctly understanding your opinion?
Ian Browne
I love *almost* everything about this song. Something about the “Bring all your failures… open arms” lyrics rub me the wrong way somehow. I feel like it’s implying (as so many modern songs do) that Jesus is saving us from hard times in life (failures and addictions) on the cross, when really it’s on the cross that he’s paying the debt for our SINS and declaring us righteous before God, not saving us from the effects of our sins. I dunno, it just falls short somehow. Am I crazy here? Either way, I’m probably not going to be leading this song at our church anytime soon, which is kinda a bummer since the rest of the song is very good. Peace.
Jennifer Dow
Hi Ian! I see the act of laying these things down (failures, addictions) as an act of surrender. When I bring my failures and addictions to Christ, I’m acknowledging that I cannot do it on my own. Have you ever felt like a failure? I certainly have, and am so grateful for Christ’s invitation to ‘come’ and that he does so with grace (no shame). Do you know anyone trapped in addiction? I do, and desperately pray they come to the ‘foot of the cross’ one day and are able to experience freedom from the bondage they are held in.
Andrew
I would suggest an additional comment in your analysis: the first two lines of the bridge are reference to Thomas Ken’s hymn, “Doxology” (aka “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow”). It would be fitting to include this reference, as you mention We The Kingdom also mentions Horatio Spafford’s hymn!
Vince Wright
Andrew,
Great find! I updated my review.
-Vince Wright