It Is Well with My Soul
When peace like a river attendeth my way
Written in the darkest circumstances — after the loss of four daughters at sea — this hymn stands as one of the most remarkable testimonies of Christian faith in suffering. The peace described is not the absence of grief but the presence of Christ even in the depths. Theologically it is a profound expression of peace rooted not in circumstance but in the atonement.
History & Background
Written by Horatio Gates Spafford (1828-1888) in 1873 following the death of his four daughters in the sinking of the ocean liner Ville du Havre. The music was composed by Philip Paul Bliss (1838-1876). One of the great hymns of Christian peace amid suffering.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 785
- Lutheran Service Book — 763
Bulletin Note
It Is Well with My Soul — Horatio Spafford, 1873
Preaching Connection
Peace that passes understanding — the atonement as the ground of peace amid suffering.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: From present peace amid suffering (St. 1) through Christ's redemptive work (St. 2-3) to eschatological hope (St. 4); movement from experiential assurance to theological foundation to future glory
Themes
Peace Suffering Trust Atonement