Revelation Song

The band Citizens covers “Revelation Song,” the worship song written by Jennie Lee Riddle and made popular by Phillips, Craig and Dean and Kari Jobe. The lyrics are drawn straight from the fourth and fifth chapters of the book of Revelation, in which John sees heaven's throne room.

The first lines declare that worthy is the Lamb who was slain, and call listeners to sing a new song to the one who sits on heaven's mercy seat. The refrain of holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come, comes next. The singer joins with all creation to praise the King of kings, calling him her everything and promising to adore him. The second section describes the sight on the throne, clothed in rainbows of living color with flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder. It repeats the heavenly doxology, blessing and honor, strength and glory and power be to the only wise King. In the bridge the singer is filled with awestruck wonder at the mention of his name, and she calls it power, breath and living water, a marvelous mystery. The song works as a call to worship because it puts the congregation in the position of the creatures around the throne. Citizens give it a more driving rock feel than earlier versions, but the words stay close to the Scripture.

The holy, holy, holy of the living creatures is Revelation 4:8. Blessing and honor to the Lamb is Revelation 5:12, and the rainbow around the throne is Revelation 4:3.