It’s been nearly a year since their epic Christmas album, and now For King & Country is back with a fantastic new song, “For God Is With Us.” The song was just released on September 24 and it’s already closing in on half a million streams.
The music starts a little slow, with minimalistic backtracking over a solo voice. The Smallbone brothers, Joel and Luke, expertly build the tune until there’s an eruption of music at the chorus. The lyrics speak of the humble beginnings of Christianity, in a small town that almost seems unfit to receive a King.
The video is a treat to watch. The Smallbone brothers are pictured standing in various settings, seamlessly edited together to almost seem as if they’re teleporting. The scenes flash between natural landscapes and big cities, beautifully manicured properties and dank graffitied tunnels. The impression it gives the viewer is that God is present in all of these settings.
Behind the song
In an interview with Jubilee Cast, the Smallbone brothers discussed the meaning behind the song:
“We originally penned ‘For God Is With Us’ as we were working on our Christmas record (A Drummer Boy Christmas),” shares Joel Smallbone. “We started writing this song from the perspective of a baby boy, and then into adulthood and the great sacrifice of Jesus and then how it impacted humanity.”
As they worked on the song for their Christmas album, they realized that it was not a holiday tune at all. “For God Is With Us” slowly evolved until it became a song of peace, one that reminds that God is always near. They said that this sentiment is especially important after enduring the arduous years of the world pandemic. They said:
“It’s kind of an offering and a celebration of the fact that we still believe that both religion and science points to this reality and it’s continually pointing back to this reality that there is a creator, that there is creative design, and that it’s not just an abstract thought, but God is actually amongst us and with us and that this earth has been endowed with life and beauty that comes from God. We hope that it meets you where you are right now, into Christmas, and beyond.”
Click here to hear more from For King & Country.
And today we celebrate...