It Is Well With My Soul

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3:16

It Is Well With My Soul

Horatio G. Spafford

1820-1888

I

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

II

Though Satan should buffet, tho trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed his own blood for my soul.

III

My sin-oh, the bliss of this glorious tho't:

My sin not in part, but the whole

Is nail'd to the cross and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

IV

And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be roll'd back as a scroll,

The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,

"Even so," it is well with my soul.

Chorus:

It is well with my soul, It is well,

It is well with my soul

Horatio G. Spafford, a lawyer and a businessman from Chicago, wrote this beloved hymn. He was born in North Troy New York, on October 20, 1828. Along with his financial success, he always maintained active relationship in Christian activities. He was noted as a man of unusual intelligence and refinement, deeply spiritual, and a devoted student of the Scripture.

Some months prior to Chicago Fire of 1871, Spafford had invested heavily in real estate in the shores of Lake Michigan, and his holdings were wiped out by this disaster. Desiring a rest for his wife and four daughters, Spafford planned a European trip for his family in November of 1873. Due to unexpected last minute business developments, he had to remain in Chicago, but he sent his wife and four daughters on ahead as scheduled on the S.S. Ville du Havre. He expected to follow in a few days. On November 22 the ship was struck by the Lochearn, an English vessel and sank in twelve minutes. Several days later, the survivors were finally landed at Cardiff, Wales, and Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, "Saved alone." Shortly afterward Spafford left by ship to join her bereaved wife. It is thought that on the sea near the area where his four daughters had drowned, Spafford penned this text whose words so significantly describe his own personal grief - "When sorrows like sea billows roll."

It is notewothy however, that Spafford's hymn does not dwell on the theme of life's sorrows and trials but focuses attention in the third stanza on the redemptive work of Christ and in the fourth stanza anticipates his glorious Second Coming. Humanly speaking, it is amazing that one could experience such personal tragedies and sorrows as Horatio did and still be able to say with such convincing clarity "It is well with my soul."

Phillip P. Bliss, in 1876, impressed with Spafford's experience and expression of text short wrote the music for it. In 1881, Spafford left Chicagowith their two daughters and settled in Holy Land of Jerusalem. Horatio died at the age of sixty. (Text taken from Kenneth W. Osbeck's 101 Hymn Stories p.126).

Today this hymn is already a church song widely sang by many churches all over the world for many years. Sometimes I cry every time this song is being played in our Church. It reminds me of my griefs, my sadness too..like Horatio's . But thanks to God...thanks to Horatio. The song soothes my soul...yes... it is well with my soul.