Worship Song Highlight/Behind the Hymn- “Ancient of Days” by CityAlight

Tomorrow is election day in the United States, and many are anxious and fearful. Tensions seem high in our seemingly divided nation. Additionally, the globe is engulfed in warfare. It has been over a year since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and the conflicts in the Middle East rage on. The war between Russia and Ukraine has continued now for two and a half years. Nations are raging all around. With all this conflict and uncertainty, I deliberately chose “Ancient of Days” as our hymn of the month for FBC Farmersville in November 2024.

“Ancient of Days” was written by Jonny Robinson and Rich Thompson of CityAlight (a ministry of St. Paul’s Castle Hill in Australia) along with veteran songwriters Michael Farren (Curb Word) and Jesse Reeves (BEC, longtime Chris Tomlin co-writer). It was released on the 2018 EP Yet Not I. It is a modern hymn primarily based on the two biblical passages of Psalm 2 and Daniel 7. Daniel 7 uses the name “Ancient of Days” to refer to God. He is the one who reigns eternally. The message of this song is one that I want to resonate in our hearts on election day, November 5, and in the days following. The chorus says:

None above Him, none before Him

All of time in His hands

For His throne it shall remain and ever stand

All the power, all the glory

I will trust in His name

For my God is the Ancient of Days

Electing officials is very important, and praying for our leaders is commanded in 1 Timothy 2:1-2. Yet we often become discouraged when we misplace our trust. Yes government plays an important role in our lives, but the Psalmist declares, “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation” (Psalm 146:3). Far above any earthly ruler, there is a King who is supremely trustworthy. We must order our love and our trust rightly.

Theologically, the chorus of “Ancient of Days” declares that there is no one higher and no one greater than our Lord Jesus Christ, whose throne will stand forever. This echoes Philippians 2:10, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every other name,” and Daniel 5:34, “his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.” The chorus proclaims truths about God for the first four lines, then offers the response in line five in a brilliant songwriting move: “I will trust in His name.” In other words, God is the greatest, he holds of all time, he will reign forever, and he has all power and glory. So what response should this cause in my heart? Trust. I can trust God if all these things are true of God.

The verses of “Ancient of Days” are also rich with scriptural allusion. Verse one opens with an allusion to Psalm 2:1, “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” The verse continues and asserts “There is still one King reigning over all,” namely, the Son of God, as Psalm 2:6-7 tells us: “‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’

I will tell of the decree: the Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’”

Verse two encourages the singer in a personal manner. No matter what dreadful thing you may face, God is with you. God says in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you,” and Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” His love is sure and he knows your name (see Psalm 139:13-18, John 1:48, Luke 19:5)

Verse three reminds us that though our future on earth is uncertain, the return of Christ is guaranteed. Philippians 3:20 reminds us, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” We must watch and wait patiently for Christ to return. Then our joy will be complete! Now we don’t understand things fully. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12)!

Musically, this song is very easy to learn and sing. The melody only spans an octave, so it is great for congregations of any age to sing. Additionally, it is intentionally crafted like a folk melody. The melody rises to the sixth scale degree in the second and third lines of the verses and then falls back down. In the chorus the melody rises to the high tonic note on the first and third phrases. The verses and chorus end with the musical and textual refrain (in this case employing the poetic device of epistrophe): “For my God is the Ancient of Days.”

One suggestion for churches singing this is to make explicit that the “Savior King” and the “one King” is Jesus. The song itself does not mention the name of Jesus. Biblically literate congregations will understand these titles as referring to Jesus. Yet I find this song to be even more impactful when connected to passages like Psalm 2, Philippians 2, Philippians 3:20, and Colossians 2:17, “He is before all things.”

You can listen to “Ancient of Days” on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPpGphzScjA

You can find resources through CityAlight’s website here: https://cityalight.com/song/ancient-of-days/