You’ve probably heard it in your car or during a Sunday morning set. That aggressive, almost tribal drum beat kicks in, and suddenly Brandon Lake is shouting about lightning and lions. It isn't your typical "soft and fluffy" worship song. Honestly, the count em Brandon Lake lyrics feel more like a spiritual war cry than a ballad. If you’ve been trying to parse through the rapid-fire references to biblical miracles and Davidic confidence, you aren't alone.
This track didn't just happen. It’s a massive standout from his 2023 album Coat of Many Colors, and it basically flipped the script on what people expect from contemporary Christian music (CCM).
People get confused by the pace. They miss the nuance. But when you actually look at the theology baked into the dirt of these verses, it’s a masterclass in "bragging on God." It’s boastful. Not in a "look at me" way, but in a "look at what my God has done" way.
The Theology of Bragging: What Count Em is Actually Doing
Most worship songs focus on our need—our brokenness, our desire for peace, or our gratitude. Those are great. We need those. But count em Brandon Lake lyrics take a different turn. They focus on the resume of the Creator.
The song starts with a challenge. It asks if you’ve ever seen the "one-man army" or the "graveyard runner." If you aren't familiar with the Bible, those might sound like Marvel characters. They aren't. They’re specific nods to stories like Samson or Jesus walking out of the tomb.
The energy is high.
It’s meant to be.
Brandon Lake, along with co-writers Jacob Sooter and Hank Bentley, crafted this to be a "flex." In the hip-hop world, a flex is showing off your wealth or status. Here, the flex is the sovereignty of God.
Why the "Count 'Em" Refrain Hits So Hard
The hook is simple: "One, two, three, look at 'em run / You can try to count 'em, but you're never gonna finish."
It’s a direct reference to the idea that God’s miracles are too numerous to track. Think about Psalm 139:17-18. It talks about how God’s thoughts toward us are more than the grains of sand. Lake takes that ancient poetic sentiment and gives it a modern, percussive edge.
When you’re singing these lyrics, you’re basically telling your problems to look at the scoreboard.
- God defeated death? Check.
- God split the sea? Check.
- God provided when the bank account was zero? Check.
The song builds this momentum until the bridge, which is arguably the most intense part of the whole experience.
Breaking Down the "Lions and Lightning" Imagery
The bridge is where the count em Brandon Lake lyrics get really specific and, frankly, pretty wild.
"You're the God of the lions / You're the God of the lightning / You're the God of the shepherd / You're the God of the giant."
Look at the contrast there.
He’s referencing Daniel in the lions' den. That’s a story of protection in the face of certain death. Then he jumps to the lightning—a symbol of raw, uncontrollable power.
But the "shepherd" and "giant" line is where the lyrical depth really shines. He isn't just saying God is the God of the hero (David the shepherd). He’s saying God is the God of the giant (Goliath). This is a heavy theological claim. It means that even the things that scare us—the giants in our lives—are under the ultimate authority of God.
He owns the opposition too.
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That’s a radical thought. It shifts your perspective from "I hope God helps me beat this giant" to "My God created the universe that this giant is currently standing in."
The "Graveyard Runner" and Resurrection Power
One of the coolest phrases in the song is "graveyard runner."
It’s catchy. It sounds like something from a movie. But it’s a visceral way to describe the Resurrection. In the context of the song, Lake is reminding the listener that the worst-case scenario (death) has already been conquered.
If God can run out of a graveyard, what can't He do?
The Cultural Impact of the Song's Sound
We have to talk about the production because it influences how the lyrics are received. If this were a piano ballad, the words "count 'em" would feel polite.
But it’s not polite.
It’s gritty. It has this distorted, rock-influenced vibe that mirrors the "holy roar" Brandon often talks about. Lake has mentioned in various interviews that he wanted this album to feel like a "coat of many colors"—diverse, eclectic, and a bit messy.
"Count 'Em" is the bold, neon-colored patch on that coat.
It’s been a staple on the Summer Worship Nights tours and has dominated streaming platforms because it taps into a specific human emotion: the need to feel victorious. Life is hard. People are dealing with record-high anxiety. When you scream-sing lyrics about God being a "mountain-mover," it does something to your physiology.
It’s catharsis.
Misconceptions About the Lyrics
Some critics of modern worship might say the count em Brandon Lake lyrics are too "self-focused" or "hyped up."
I disagree.
If you look at the Psalms, specifically the ones written by David, they are full of this kind of language. David wasn't always "meek and mild." He was a warrior who wrote about God breaking the teeth of his enemies. Lake is simply translating that "warrior-poet" energy for a generation that grew up on rock and roll and hip-hop.
The song isn't about us being great.
It’s about us being secure because He is great.
Does it get too repetitive?
Some people find the "One, two, three" counting repetitive. But repetition in music—especially in a spiritual context—is a tool for meditation. You say it over and over until you actually believe it. You’re drilling the truth into your subconscious.
How to Actually Apply These Lyrics to Real Life
It’s easy to sing this in a crowd of 10,000 people with strobe lights hitting your face. It’s a lot harder when you’re sitting in a doctor's office or staring at a pile of bills.
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The "actionable" part of this song is the "counting."
There’s a psychological practice called "Gratitude Mapping." It’s basically what this song is doing. When you’re overwhelmed, you stop and physically list (count) the things that have gone right, the times you’ve survived, and the "miracles" you’ve witnessed.
Brandon Lake is essentially giving us a three-minute-and-forty-seven-second template for a mental reset.
- Stop the spiral.
- Look back at the track record. 3. Start counting the wins.
It sounds simple, but it’s a proven way to break the fight-or-flight response.
The Technical Side of the Track
For those who care about the "nerdy" music stuff, the song is usually performed in the key of B Minor. This is a key often associated with "solitary" or "serious" emotions, but in this context, it provides a dark, powerful foundation for the triumph of the lyrics.
The tempo is driving—around 78 BPM (beats per minute) but with a double-time feel in the percussion that makes it feel much faster.
The use of "call and response" in the live versions also makes the count em Brandon Lake lyrics feel like a community event. It’s not a performance to be watched; it’s an anthem to be joined.
Final Thoughts on the Anthem
Brandon Lake has a knack for writing songs that feel like they’ve always existed. "Count 'Em" feels like an ancient truth wrapped in a very modern, very loud package.
It’s not just a song for church.
It’s a song for the gym. It’s a song for the morning commute when you’re dreading your boss. It’s a song for the middle of the night when you can’t sleep because your brain won't shut up.
It forces you to look away from your problems and toward a solution that is, according to the lyrics, "infinite."
Putting the Lyrics to Work
To get the most out of the message behind this song, don't just let it be background noise. Use the structure of the song as a practical exercise.
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- Create a "Victory List": Write down three specific times in your life where you felt "stuck" but things eventually worked out. This is your "one, two, three."
- Analyze the Metaphors: Read the stories of Daniel (Chapter 6) and David (1 Samuel 17). Seeing the source material for the "lions" and "giants" lyrics makes the song hit much harder.
- Active Listening: Next time you play the track, focus specifically on the bridge. Notice how the intensity builds. Use that build-up as a physical reminder to "up" your own confidence in whatever situation you're facing.
The power of the count em Brandon Lake lyrics isn't in the rhyming scheme or the cleverness of the "graveyard runner" line. It's in the underlying reality that, if you believe the stories are true, the math is always on your side. You can try to count the ways things could go wrong, but the "wins" on the other side are literally uncountable.