Lyrics Page
Killed A Man
409 views
Sep 2, 2026 updated
Verified editorial review
Zach Williams' song uses the striking metaphor of killing an old self to describe a radical spiritual transformation. The narrator speaks of drowning a man in a river, representing the sinful habits and destructive lifestyle that once enslaved him. This act of 'self-defense' is a vivid picture of putting to death the old nature to save his life. The song culminates in a moment of revelation, comparing the experience to Paul's Damascus road encounter. It powerfully illustrates the biblical truth of dying to sin and being made new in Christ, moving from guilt to being covered by His blood.
Lyrics Verified by Editorial Team
I killed a man
In the river
Yeah, I watched the current carry him away
Yeah, I killed a man
Down in the river
Yeah, I had to take a life
To keep one out the grave
He was friends with the devil
Wadn't worth a dang
Tried to drown me in a bottle
Tried to choke me on smoke
He was hurtin' my momma
Had my ol' man prayin' like a preacher at the end of his rope
It was justified
It was self-defense
It was do or die
It was me and him
So I
Killed a man
In the river
Yeah, I watched the current carry him away
Yeah, I killed a man
Down in the river
Yeah, I had to take a life
To keep one out the grave
Didn't pull no knife, didn't fire no gun
Just held him under long enough to put him down
Nobody's gonna miss that prodigal son
He's probably halfway down the Mississippi by now
Went from guilty as sin to covered in blood
Now who I am ain't who I was
(Cause)
I killed a man
In the river
Yeah, I watched the current carry him away
Yeah, I killed a man
Down in the river
Yeah, I had to take a life
To keep one out the grave
Wipin' muddy water outta my eyes
That's the day that I saw the light
'Bout six feet out in the Buffalo
Was my Damascus road
So I killed a man
In the river
Yeah, I watched the current carry him away
Yeah, I killed a man
Down in the river
Yeah, I had to take a life
To keep one out the grave
(Ohh)
Oh, sometimes
You gotta
Take a life
To keep one out the grave
I killed a man
I killed a man
I killed a man
He was friends with the devil
Wadn't worth a dang
Tried to drown me in a bottle
Tried to choke me on smoke