Only A Holy God
One of the 94 hymns we sing together at Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church on the Gold Coast. Browse the full hymnbook.
Lyrics
Verse 1
Who else commands all the hosts of heaven
Who else could make every king bow down
Who else can whisper and darkness tremble
Only a Holy God
Verse 2
What other beauty demands such praises
What other splendour outshines the sun
What other majesty rules with justice
Only a Holy God
Chorus
Come and behold Him
The One and the Only
Cry out, sing holy
Forever a Holy God
Come and worship the Holy God
Verse 3
What other glory consumes like fire
What other power can raise the dead
What other name remains undefeated
Only a Holy God
Verse 4
Who else could rescue me from my failing
Who else would offer His only Son
Who else invites me to call Him Father Only a Holy God
Only my Holy God!
Behind the Hymn
"Only a Holy God" was written by Michael Farren, Jonny Robinson, Dustin Smith, and Rich Thompson, and released in 2016 as part of the CityAlight worship community's commitment to writing songs about the attributes of God. The hymn is a comprehensive declaration of God's holiness — His absolute purity, transcendence, and moral perfection — drawing from Isaiah 6, where the seraphim cry "Holy, holy, holy" before the throne. In an era of worship music that sometimes emphasizes God's nearness and love at the expense of His holiness and justice, this song intentionally focuses on the attribute that theologians call the most foundational to God's character. Each verse explores a different dimension of holiness — God's uniqueness, His justice, His mercy, and His sovereignty — building to the chorus's simple, awestruck declaration: "Only a holy God." The song was championed by Keith and Kristyn Getty, who featured it at their worship conferences, and it quickly became one of the most popular new hymns in Reformed circles. Its popularity reflects a hunger among many churches for worship that takes seriously the transcendent majesty of God.