Only 2 more weeks until our celebration of Resurrection Day! I long for that day to come!
Very appropriately, my song for today is: IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL, a song especially poignant in troubled times.
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL
Words by Horatio G. Spafford, 1873; Music by Philip P. Bliss, 1876
1. 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.”
Refrain: It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul
2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And has shed His own blood for my soul.
Refrain: It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul
3. 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.
Refrain: It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul
4. And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend
“Even so” – it is well with my soul
Refrain: It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul
Tag: It is well, it is well with my soul
History of It is Well With My Soul
Horatio G. Spafford (10/20/1828 – 10/16/1888) was a devoted Christian – and a successful Chicago lawyer. He is the man who wrote the lyrics to “It is Well With My Soul” – which becomes even more touching when you know the history behind Spafford’s life and the specific story that precipitated his writing the words of this song.
The scripture reference is Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
The first tragedy in their lives was the death of their son from pneumonia in 1870 at the age of 4.
Then in 1871 the Chicago fire devastated the city. Just prior to that event Spafford had invested extensively in real estate by the shore of Lake Michigan and the disaster decimated his holdings.
Two years after the fire, Horatio Spafford planned a trip to Europe with his family. He wanted a rest for his wife and four daughters, and also to assist Moody and Sankey in one of their evangelistic campaigns in Great Britain. He intended to travel with his family; However, the day in November they were due to depart, Spafford had a last minute business transaction and had to stay behind in Chicago. He sent his wife and four daughters on ahead as scheduled on the S.S. Ville du Havre, expecting to follow in a few days. On November 22, just off the coast of France, the ship with his wife and daughters aboard was struck by the Lockhearn, an English vessel, and sank in few minutes.
Spafford's wife survived but all four of their daughters were lost. When she reached land Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband with two simple words, "Saved alone." Shortly after, Spafford left by ship and asked the Captain to tell him when they reached the spot where his daughters died, and as he stood out on the deck looking over the rail at their gravesite, the words to this song, so significantly descriptive of his own personal grief – "When sorrows like sea billows roll..." poured from his pen to his notepad. The verses for the hymn "It is Well with My Soul" was born from his pain – and his abiding faith.
Three more children were born to the Spaffords: two girls and a boy. In spite of the ponderous personal losses he sustained, Spafford faithfully lived the message that God deserves our praise and worship no matter what our circumstances.
His original poem had more verses than the ones we are most familiar with. Some of those verses are recorded here:
It Is Well With My Soul
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.
Refrain:
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. Refrain
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! Refrain
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. Refrain
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! Refrain
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. Refrain
Horatio G Spafford
1873
No comments:
Post a Comment