It Is Well With My Soul

To say that I grew up more traditional than most is a slight understatement. I grew up in a southern-gospel singing, tambourine bangin environment. My grandparents exposed me to southern gospel music as a kid, and I've always enjoyed it. The vocal talent is absolutely remarkable.

My favorite Gospel song of all time would be the song "It Is Well With My Soul," by Horatio Spafford. The Song is powerful, and has been remade hundreds of times in multiple different styles and genres. The most appealing approach of the song for me has always been the southern-gospel version.

What is most astounding to me was when I discovered the history behind this song. The song was written by a man named Horatio Spafford in 1873. Spafford was a prominent lawyer in Chicago, and had his life's savings invested into real estate. To refresh you knowledge of history, on October 18, 1871, what was known has "The Great Fire" swept through and destroyed most of the city.

Spafford's life's work was destroyed as the fire crumbled the city... A few months prior to losing everything he had worked his whole life for, his 4 year old son died of scarlet fever. After the fire, he and his family spent two-years rebuilding and cleaning up the city. The reconstructing of the city was exhausting, so he decided to take them to Europe for an extended vacation to get away from the stress of losing his son, and everything they had owned including his life security and investments. He had some work to do still, so he put his wife and four daughters on a steam-ship to sail across the Atlantic ocean, planning to sail to meet them in England a few weeks later.

After several days, he received a telegram from his wife. Immediately, he assumed that it was simply to notify him that she and his four daughters had arrived safely.... He assumed wrong... On November 21, 1873, a ship collided with the ship carrying his wife and four baby girls. Two hundred and twenty-six people died that day in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, among those 226 were his four daughters. His wife miraculously survived, the family was devasted.

Horatio Spafford left all business behind to sail quickly to England to meet his grieving wife. Over a period of two years, they had lost what seemed to be everything. He lost his son, and four daughters, along with every drop of financial security he and his wife had.... Spafford sailed across the Atlantic to meet his wife, and when the Captain announced that they were close to the exact coordinates that his daughters ship sank at, Spafford laid in his cabin... Broken and confused. If anyone had a reason to be angry with God, it was this man. If anyone had a right to crucify his religion and abandon his faith, it was Horatio Spafford. But all he could do in the cold and lonely cabin he was laying in was worship God, and it was during this trip across the sea that he wrote this song:




It Is Well Lyrics
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.

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for 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 His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, it is well with my soul.

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

It is well, it is well with 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.