When Peace Like a River

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

2  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

3  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

This hymn was written by Horatio Spafford after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. Spafford was a wealthy Chicago lawyer with a thriving legal practice, a beautiful home, a wife, four daughters and a son. He was also a devout Christian. His circle of friends included Dwight L. Moody and other well-known clergymen of the day. At the very height of his success, Horatio and his wife Anna suffered the tragic loss of their young son at the tender age of two to scarlet fever. Shortly thereafter on October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed almost every real estate investment Spafford had.

In 1873, Spafford scheduled a boat trip to Europe on the S.S. Ville du Havre, to give his wife and daughters a much needed vacation from tragedy, and so that he might join Moody for an evangelistic campaign in England. Spafford sent his wife and daughters on ahead while he remained in Chicago, to take care of some unexpected last minute business.

While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters drowned. Anna survived with other passengers. She sent Horatio the now famous telegram, “Saved Alone.” (It was only two words because you had to pay by the word.)

With a heavy heart, Spafford boarded a boat that would take him to his grieving Anna, in England. Spafford was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died. “When sorrow like sea billows roll; it is well, it is well with my soul.”

Philip Bliss composed the tune and called it Ville du Havre, from the name of the stricken vessel.

1. How would you describe the peace of the Lord?
We understand that the peace the Lord gives is not the absence of trouble, but rather it is the confidence that He is there with us always. Spafford based his hymn on Isaiah 66:12 “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river.” Even when the storms of life billow and the waves roll, we have God’s peace flowing to and through us … and that peace cannot be stopped.

2. Spafford obviously knew his Bible well in order to have his hymn filled with so many scriptural allusions. What are some favorite Bible verses you might use or share in times of tragedy or difficulty?

Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. ² He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, ³ he restores my soul.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, ³ though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

3. The refrain of “It is well with my soul” is reminiscent of Psalm 146:1-2: “Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” What does it mean to praise God “as long as I live?”

We praise God whether we have a disease or Jesus heals us from the disease. We praise God when we are hungry or when we are well fed. We praise God when we are in need or when God has graciously met all our needs.

4. In the final stanza, Spafford is obviously speaking of Judgment Day. Why would he, and we, specifically wish to pray for the Lord to “haste the day”?

I like how the apostle Paul puts it: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). We long for the day when we will be in God’s immediate presence where He is not “hidden” by our present limitations. We will not simply know about God, but we will have direct, personal experience of Him.

5. How could Spafford possibly proclaim “It is well with my soul” in light of the numerous tragedies he endured, including the loss of his young son to scarlet fever and his children to a shipwreck?

The song reveals at least two reasons. First, he knew that all of his sins had been “nailed to the cross.” Second, look closely at the final line. It begins with two short words (“Even so”) quoted from the second last verse of the Bible in the King James Version, “Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Spafford longed for Christ’s return because he was convinced that he would dwell with His Creator and would be reunited with his precious children.