It Is Well With My Soul
Horatio Spafford · 1873 · tune VILLE DU HAVRE
Key of C · public domain
Words
Verse 1When 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
ChorusIt is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
Verse 2Though 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
Verse 3My 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
Verse 4And 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
The story
In 1873 Horatio Spafford put his wife and four daughters on the steamship Ville du Havre, meaning to follow a few days later. The ship was struck by an iron sailing vessel and went down in twelve minutes. All four girls drowned. His wife survived and sent him a telegram of two words: saved alone. Sailing out to meet her, the captain called him up to say they were passing over the place where the ship went down, and he wrote these words there. The phrase itself is not his. It belongs to the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4, who says it is well when asked about the son lying dead upstairs. The tune is named for the ship.
Chords in C
Verse 1
C F C
When peace like a river attendeth my way
C G
When sorrows like sea billows roll
C F C
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say
C G C
It is well, it is well with my soul
Chorus
C F C
It is well with my soul
C G C
It is well, it is well with my soul
Verse 2
C F C
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
C G
Let this blest assurance control
C F C
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate
C G C
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
Verse 3
C F C
My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
C G
My sin, not in part but the whole
C F C
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
C G C
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul
Verse 4
C F C
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight
C G
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
C F C
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend
C G C
Even so, it is well with my soul
In the app you can move this to any key and it works out the capo for you.
Common questions
Who wrote It Is Well With My Soul? Horatio Spafford wrote the words in 1873.
What tune is it sung to? VILLE DU HAVRE, set here in the key of C.
What scripture is it built on? 2 Kings 4:26.
Is It Is Well With My Soul free to use in church? Yes. The words are public domain, which means any church may sing them, print them in a bulletin, put them on a screen or record them, without asking permission and without paying anyone.
Themes
Comfort · Grief · Trust
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