It Is Well With My Soul

Our church hasn't held public services for the last two Sundays because of the corona virus and our governor's instructions. But the services are online. We watched this morning.

Near the end of the service our pastor, Dr. Carroll Marr, spoke about the history of one of my favorite hymns - “It Is Well With My Soul.” I had absolutely no idea about the history of the lyrics so after listening to what Dr. Marr said I looked it up for myself.

The author of the lyrics, Horatio Spafford, was a successful attorney and Real Estate investor in Chicago in the late 1800s. He lost a fortune in the great fire of 1871. Around the same time he lost his four year old son to Scarlet Fever.

A short while later Mr. Spafford decided his wife and four daughters might benefit from a vacation abroad and put them on a ship to Great Britain with plans to join them as soon as he got some of his affairs in order. Somewhere in the Atlantic the ship they were on collided with another ship and sank. His wife survived but his four daughters all perished. When his wife arrived in Great Britain she sent a telegram that began “Saved alone. What shall I do?”

Spafford soon boarded another ship to join his wife in Great Britain. During the journey, the Captain of the ship knew of the tragedy that had struck the Spafford family. Upon Spafford's request, when the ship neared the sight where the tragedy had occurred, Spafford was summoned to the deck. As he looked down at the water where his daughters had died, words of hope and comfort filled his heart. He wrote them down and they have become a well-loved hymn.

I can't say whether or not Spafford wrote all six verses himself or had assistance, but this song has been one of my favorites since I was a kid - not only the words but the melody. As one who has experienced the loss of a child this song now means more to me than ever. I cannot imagine Mr. Spafford's pain and devastation at losing all of his children. Or maybe I can since my son was an only child.

Anyway, the song reads as follows:

“When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:

It is well... with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come

Let this blessed assurance control -

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well... with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul.

My sin – oh, the bliss of this glorious thought

My sin, not in part, but in whole

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh, my soul.

It is well... with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul.

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live;

If Jordon above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

It is well... with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave, is our goal.
Oh, trump of the angel, Oh, voice of the Lord –

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

It is well... with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul.

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

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend

Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well... with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul.

This is one of the most beautiful, heartwarming performances of the song that I've ever heard. It is sung by Ben Waites, who is a member of the New Speer Family gospel group. I got to hear Ben sing it live last year. Amazing is the only word I can think of.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L45ydkGcl9U

If the link doesn't work, copy and paste it. It's worth it.