For God Is With Us

Album: What Are We Waiting For? (2022)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Over sharp beats and synthesizers, King & Country address Jesus' birth, crucifixion, resurrection and His kingdom. "This song speaks to all circumstances," said For King & Country's Joel and Luke Smallbone. "No matter hardship or great delight, we can all take great comfort in God being with us."
  • Joel and Luke Smallbone wrote "For God Is With Us" with Nashville songwriters Jordan Reynolds and Josh Kerr. They originally penned the tune while working on their A Drummer Boy Christmas album. "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," said Joel Smallbone.

    As COVID-19 reared its ugly head, the Smallbone Brothers extended it through Christmas, Easter, and beyond. "Maybe this is a good reminder after so much loss, and so many questions about where God is in the midst of a pandemic, and where God is in the midst of racism or political division," said Joel Smallbone.

    The track became an offering and a celebration that both religion and science point to a creator, and the Almighty "is actually amongst us and with us and that this earth has been endowed with life and beauty that comes from God."
  • For King & Country and Josh Kerr produced the track with the Australian duo's regular production collaborators, Tedd T and Benjamin Backus.
  • For King & Country recruited Lady A's Hillary Scott for a new version. Their rendition has more of a country flavor, while retaining the song's original synthy sound. The Smallbone brothers have a history for hooking up with country stars for remixes, most famously with Dolly Parton for "God Only Knows." The country-CCM crossover isn't new for Scott either. The Lady A singer picked up Grammys for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for her CCM album Love Remains and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for "Thy Will."
  • "For God Is With Us" became For King & Country's second song to top the US Hot Christian Songs chart, following "Relate."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."

Wang Chung Pick The Top Songs Of The '80s

Wang Chung Pick The Top Songs Of The '80sSongwriter Interviews

'80s music ambassadors Wang Chung pick their top tracks of the decade, explaining what makes each one so special.

Stephen Christian of Anberlin

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."