It Is Well with My Soul

Author: Horatio G. Spafford (1828–1888)
Composer: Philip P. Bliss (1838–1876)
Meter: 11.8.11.9 with Chorus
Scripture Reference: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” — Psalm 46:1 (KJV)

The timeless hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” was written by Horatio Gates Spafford, a devout Presbyterian layman and prominent attorney in Chicago. Born on October 20, 1828, in North Troy, New York, Spafford later moved to Illinois, where he established a successful legal practice. Alongside his professional achievements, he was deeply engaged in Christian ministry and maintained close friendships with influential evangelical leaders of the time, including D. L. Moody. Gospel musician George Stebbins described Spafford as “a man of unusual intelligence and refinement, deeply spiritual, and a devoted student of the Scriptures.”

Spafford’s life, however, was marked by profound personal tragedy. In 1871, just before the devastating Great Chicago Fire, he had made substantial investments in real estate along the Lake Michigan shoreline—investments that were completely destroyed in the fire. In the wake of this financial ruin, he planned a trip to Europe for his wife and four daughters in 1873, both to provide them with rest and to support the revival meetings of Moody and Sankey in Great Britain. At the last minute, Spafford was delayed by business matters and stayed behind in Chicago, sending his family ahead on the French steamship S.S. Ville du Havre.

On November 22, 1873, tragedy struck when the Ville du Havre collided with the British ship Loch Earn in the Atlantic Ocean. The Ville du Havre sank in just twelve minutes. Among the 226 who perished were all four of the Spafford daughters. Days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife, who had survived and landed in Cardiff, Wales. It read simply, “Saved alone.”

Heartbroken, Spafford immediately set sail to join his grieving wife. During the voyage, it is believed that as his ship passed near the spot where his daughters had drowned, he was inspired to write the words that would become “It Is Well with My Soul.” The opening line, “When sorrows like sea billows roll,” poignantly reflects his overwhelming grief. Yet remarkably, the hymn does not linger on suffering. In the third stanza, it proclaims the redemptive work of Christ, and in the fourth, it looks forward with hope to His Second Coming. Despite the crushing weight of sorrow, Spafford penned words of unshakable faith, declaring with astonishing clarity and conviction: “It is well with my soul.”

In 1881, fulfilling a long-standing desire to serve in the land of the Bible, the Spaffords—along with their two surviving daughters and a group of like-minded friends—relocated to Jerusalem. There, they founded the American Colony, a community dedicated to helping the poor, the sick, and the oppressed. Although Horatio Spafford died in 1888 at the age of sixty, the ministry he helped establish continued for many years. His daughter, Bertha Spafford Vester, later recounted the family's story and mission in her book Our Jerusalem.

The musical setting for “It Is Well with My Soul” was composed by Philip Paul Bliss, a gifted songwriter and evangelist. Deeply moved by Spafford’s story and the depth of his poetic expression, Bliss composed the tune, now inseparably associated with the hymn. It was first published in 1876 in Gospel Hymns No. 2, a popular hymnal produced by the Sankey-Bliss team. Bliss, who frequently wrote both the words and music for his songs, was known for his emotionally rich lyrics and memorable melodies that were easy to learn and sing.

Among Bliss’s other well-known hymns are “Hold the Fort,” “I Gave My Life for Thee,” “Jesus Loves Even Me,” “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning,” and “Once for All.” His contributions to gospel music, though tragically cut short by his untimely death later in 1876, continue to resonate in churches around the world.

Together, the words of Horatio Spafford and the music of Philip Bliss have given the world one of its most treasured hymns—“It Is Well with My Soul”—a song born in sorrow but soaring in hope, testifying to the enduring peace found only in Christ.