The message of “God Only Knows” is that friendship can save a life.
God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows how it’s killing you
But there’s a kind of love that God only knows
The latest single from For King and Country, “God Only Knows,” was released earlier this year, along with a gripping music video which focuses on the topic of suicide. The tune is the second track released from their upcoming album, Burn the Ship, expected to drop in early October.
The video follows a young woman who is suffering from depression. As she wanders through her day, all of her actions appear to just be going through the motions and while she will smile during her interactions, her face resumes a frown as soon as she turns away.
In a “making-of” video, Joel Smallbone explains, “Circumstantially things are good, she’s an attractive woman, she lives in a beautiful home and life is sort of looking good. Yet there are these things, these underline insecurities that are shifting the way she perceives life and people perceive her.”
The climax of the story comes when the young woman leaves a note on a bridge and jumps off. The video does not end their, however, as it rewinds and this time a friend comes and offers support. This kindness ultimately leads the protagonist to rip up her letter and abandon her suicidal intentions.
Joel continued in the video, “The power of someone interacting, showing a small act of kindness, a hug, a smile, and how that just changes the trajectory of her life [on] this one particular day, which was a very crucial day in this young lady’s life.”
