Hymn of the Week: It Is Well With My Soul

Before I post this week's hymn, I wanted to plug a website (which was plugged in the comments section of my last hymn post) that I have discovered to be a pleasure. You may recall I mentioned a series of cds called Indelible Grace, put out by RUF (which we learned stands for Reformed University Fellowship). Here is the website for their online hymnbook. It has some great ones, complete with leader sheets, guitar chords, and other goodies. It also has an MP3 for each song to give you an idea of how to play it in its current arrangement (these aren't the full songs, just enough to give you an idea of how it works). Anyway, here you go:

http://www.igracemusic.com/hymnbook/hymns.html

Now, this week's pick is a very well known hymn, It Is Well With My Soul, by Horatio Spafford. I'm sure most of you know this great song, but I hope you'll take the opportunity to reflect on these words. As last time, here are the lyrics, followed by a few thoughts of my own.

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

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul

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

And Lord haste the day when the 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.

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

The story behind these lyrics makes this song even more powerful. Spafford's children were killed in a tragic accident as they sailed with their mother on the Atlantic, though the mother survived. He wrote this song as he was dealing with their death. One story says that he wrote part of it as he sailed over the same place the ship carrying his children sank. Some say this is not true, either way, the context of dealing with the death of his children provides some more depth and meaning.

This is one of those hymns that I have trouble singing without being moved. I wish I could say that I trust the Lord enough to say "whatever my lot...", but I'm not sure I'm there yet. Also, as in last week's hymn, note that the verses lead up to Christ's return (a popular feature of hymns). This is, after all, perhaps the greatest comfort we have during difficult times: our Lord is coming back!

The 3rd verse (My sin, oh the bliss of that glorious thought...) is my favorite, in fact, these lyrics are some of my favorite of any song. I wasn't intending on posting this hymn until today, but opted to do so mainly because I was singing this verse over and over again this morning to myself. How often do I forget that all my sin was nailed to the cross? How often do I forget to live in light of this glorious thought?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy these lyrics again. This song is certainly on my "This Better Be Played At My Funeral" list. Hey, maybe that should be the title of this series- This Better Be Played At My Funeral: It Is Well With My Soul. Hmmm...