“It Is Well with My Soul” ranks as one of the favorite hymns of the church over the past 140 years. Chicago lawyer and businessman, Horatio G. Spafford, penned these heartfelt words shortly after his four daughters drowned on a sinking ship in the Atlantic. Only the peace of God which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) could allow someone to write such hope-filled lyrics after such unimaginable tragedy.
My wife pointed out to me just how this song is supremely gospel centered. The grieving father’s soul is not “well” because everything in life is perfect. Rather, he says it is well with his soul because Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul. That’s the gospel.
And to be even more clear of what Christ’s death meant for him (and for his family), he describes how Jesus took away all that separated him from God: 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!
There will be times where peace flows like a gentle river, and other times when sorrows roll over us like billows at sea. But because of the cross, we too can say, it is well with our souls. Therefore, whatever happens, through our faith in Christ, all is well eternally between us and God.
With such settled confidence, Spafford longed to be Home with his Savior, and reunited with his children. Looking for the return of Christ, the song ends: And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; the trumpet shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, “even so,” it is well with my soul.
