Hymn of the Month: It Is Well With My Soul

I have a huge appreciation and love for hymns. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I was faced with trouble and hardship that I discovered their great power.

As I see it, hymns posses a raw, true and unfiltered beauty that is hard to find in music nowadays. I can’t help but think that the writers weren’t awfully concerned on whether the words were catchy or popular, but really birthed the lyrics from the bottom of their souls.

I’ve been hanging on to the hymn “It is Well with my Soul”. Hearing it gives me great peace and soothes my heart like no other song lately.

Maybe even more powerful than this hymn is the story behind it. It was written by a man named Horatio Spafford. This man practically lost it all in a series of terrible events.

The first was the death of his only son from Scarlet Fever in 1870. Then, he was ruined financially by the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. Later, the ship where his daughters and wife were traveling sunk after a terrible collision — all four of his daughters died.

On his way to his wife, who survived the tragedy, and passing through the same spot where his four precious girls ceased to live, he wrote this hymn. This man knew God and His peace that surpasses understanding. May we cling to God that way. May we allow Him to comfort us like this man did.

 

 Here is part of the hymn:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say

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

 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And has shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (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 the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my 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,

 

P.S. The embedded song was performed by Tim Wildsmith.