King of Kings – English Lyrics

• By: Hillsong Worship
• Album: Awake

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the rich theological narrative of "King of Kings" by Hillsong Worship, a song that beautifully traces the story of the Gospel. Learning the lyrics of this powerful anthem offers a unique opportunity to engage with key Christian concepts and vocabulary, while appreciating how the song distills profound biblical truths into a singable format. Its intentional focus on the grand narrative of faith, rather than an individual's experience, makes it a compelling piece for understanding spiritual language and the collective story of the Church.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
darkness /ˈdɑːknəs/ B1	noun - absence of light
heaven /ˈhevn/ A2	noun - the place believed to be the paradise abode of God
mercy /ˈmɜːrsi/ B2	noun - compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.
throne /θroʊn/ B2	noun - the ceremonial chair of a monarch, bishop, or other high-ranking person.
glory /ˈɡlɔːri/ B2	noun - high renown or honor won by notable achievements.
majesty /ˈmædʒəsti/ C1	noun - impressive stateliness, dignity, or beauty.
kingdom /ˈkɪŋdəm/ A2	noun - a state or government having a king or queen as its head.
creation /kriˈeɪʃn/ B1	noun - the action or process of bringing something into existence.
cross /krɔːs/ A2	noun - an upright post with a transverse bar, as used for execution in the ancient world.
suffering /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/ B2	noun - the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship. verb - experience or be subjected to (something bad or unpleasant).
salvation /sælˈveɪʃn/ C1	noun - deliverance from sin and its consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ.
lamb /læm/ A2	noun - a young sheep.
death /deθ/ A1	noun - the end of the life of a person or organism.
souls /soʊlz/ B1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.
gospel /ˈɡɒspl/ B2	noun - the teaching or revelation of Christ.
blood /blʌd/ A2	noun - the red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body.
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection. verb - feel deep affection for (someone).

Key Grammar Structures

• In the darkness we were waiting

  ➔ Past Continuous Tense

  ➔ Uses 'were waiting' to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past, specifically 'in the darkness'.

• Till from heaven You came running

  ➔ Simple Past Tense, Use of preposition "from"

  ➔ 'Came running' uses the simple past to show a completed action in the past. 'From' indicates the origin.

• To fulfil the law and prophets

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ 'To fulfil' explains the purpose of the action, answering the question 'why?'

• To a virgin came the Word

  ➔ Inversion (Subject-Verb)

  ➔ Normal word order would be 'The Word came to a virgin.' Inversion places the prepositional phrase 'To a virgin' at the beginning for emphasis.

• From a throne of endless glory

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase as Adjective

  ➔ The phrase 'of endless glory' modifies the noun 'throne', describing what kind of throne it is.

• You did not despise the cross

  ➔ Past Simple Tense (Negative Form)

  ➔ 'Did not despise' uses the auxiliary verb 'did' to form the negative of the simple past tense.

• Knowing this was our salvation

  ➔ Participle Clause

  ➔ 'Knowing this was our salvation' acts as an adverbial clause of reason, explaining why Jesus endured suffering.

• For the Lamb had conquered death

  ➔ Past Perfect Tense

  ➔ 'Had conquered' indicates an action that was completed before another point in the past. The resurrection is being presented as a past event already accomplished relative to the setting of the song.

• Shall not kneel shall not faint

  ➔ Future Tense with Modal Verb (Shall)

  ➔ 'Shall not kneel, shall not faint' expresses a strong future intention or certainty. While 'shall' is less common in modern English, it emphasizes determination here.