King of Kings – English Lyrics

• By: Hillsong Worship
• Album: Awake

Lyrics & Translation

“King of Kings” by Hillsong Worship is a powerful contemporary worship anthem that beautifully encapsulates the grand narrative of the Christian faith, from creation to the establishment of the Church. Through its rich, biblically-rooted lyrics and singable melody, this song offers an immersive way to engage with the English language while exploring profound theological themes. Its comprehensive storytelling and heartfelt declarations make it a special piece for anyone seeking to understand the core tenets of Christian belief.

[English]

In the darkness we were waiting Without hope without light

Till from heaven You came running There was mercy in Your eyes

To fulfil the law and prophets To a virgin came the Word

From a throne of endless glory To a cradle in the dirt

Praise the Father Praise the Son

Praise the Spirit three in one

God of glory Majesty

Praise forever to the King of Kings

To reveal the kingdom coming And to reconcile the lost

To redeem the whole creation You did not despise the cross

For even in Your suffering You saw to the other side

Knowing this was our salvation Jesus for our sake You died

Praise the Father Praise the Son

Praise the Spirit three in one

God of glory Majesty

Praise forever to the King of Kings

And the morning that You rose All of heaven held its breath

Till that stone was moved for good For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs And the angels stood in awe

For the souls of all who’d come To the Father are restored

And the Church of Christ was born Then the Spirit lit the flame

Now this gospel truth of old Shall not kneel shall not faint

By His blood and in His Name In His freedom I am free

For the love of Jesus Christ Who has resurrected me

Praise the Father Praise the Son

Praise the Spirit three in one

God of glory Majesty

Praise forever to the King of Kings

Praise the Father Praise the Son

Praise the Spirit three in one

God of glory Majesty

Praise forever to the King of Kings

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.