It Is Well With My Soul Lyrics

“It Is Well With My Soul” Lyrics

“It Is Well With My Soul” is a popular Christian hymn. This beautiful hymn was written by Horatio Gates Spafford in 1873 and the composer was Philip Bliss but later was named Ville du Havre. The original manuscript has only four verses. Later, Horatio’s daughter Bertha Hedges, who was born on March 24, 1878, added an additional verse and modified the last line of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”.

The Sad Story Behind The Song “It Is 

Well With My Soul”

 The writer of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”, Horatio Gates Spafford was an American lawyer but he is famous for his written Christian hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”. In 1871, Horatio invested in real estate north of Chicago. On 8 October 1871, a terrible fire broke out in the American city of Chicago, which is called The Great Chicago Fire. This terrible fire killed about 300 people and more than 100,000 people became homeless, and the city of Chicago had turned to ashes. The Great Fire of Chicago destroyed Horatio Spafford’s investment that he invested in the real estate. After two years, in 1873 Horatio had planned a trip to England with his wife Anna Spafford and their four daughters by SS Ville du Havre which was a French iron steamship. Due to business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire, he changed his plan and sent his family ahead and he stayed in Chicago, planned to join them afterwards. On November 22, 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship Ville du Havre, the ship was involved in a terrible collision and sunk, 226 people died including Horatio’s four daughters. But fortunately his wife, Anna Spafford survived the tragedy. After reaching in England, she sent a telegram to Horatio ““Saved alone. What shall I do?” Horatio immediately set sail for England to meet his grieving wife. When his ship passed near where his daughters had died, he was inspired to write this well-beloved hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”

Horatio Gates Spafford

“It Is Well With My Soul” Original Lyrics

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.

 

It is well, (it is well),

With my soul, (with my soul)

It is well, 

It is well, with my soul.

 

Though Satan should buffet, 

Though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded 

My helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood 

For 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!

 

For me, be it Christ, 

Be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, 

For in death as in life,

Thou wilt whisper 

Thy peace to 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.

 

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,

A song in the night, oh my soul