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Exegeting the Hymns #83 - It Is Well With My Soul

4/9/2019

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It is Well with my Soul
w/m - Horatio Gates Spafford, Philip Paul Bliss

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

Tho' Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul

My sin O the bliss of this glorious tho't
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

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 With My Soul” is the fourth most popular hymn of all time (Behind Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, and Holy Holy Holy). It is the quintessential hymn of praise in the midst of trial, and most everyone knows the incredible story behind it (If not, I’ll let you do some research on the web).

So many of us have sung this song during our trials and have been encouraged, but this is a difficult song to sing. Not because the melody is challenging, but because if we really speak these words in testimony, it is a momentous task to live up to.

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.” “Whatever my lot”… that’s all encompassing. While it is true that God will never give you more than He can handle, He often gives us more than we can handle… in our own strength. That is why it is crucial to rest in His.  

I have used this illustration many times. When I was in New York City a few years back, looking up at the buildings right next to me, with the clouds moving, it looked as if the building was coming down on me. It can actually be quite frightening. But I have flown over cities in an airplane, and those same skyscrapers now appeared like monopoly hotels. The size of the building did not change, just my perspective. Learn to look through God’s sovereign eyes and rest in His power and you can have peace regardless of how big the trial is.

Tho' Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come, let this blest assurance control: that Christ hath regarded my helpless estate and hath shed His own blood for my soul. Many Christians wrongly blame Satan for our trials, and while he may be used to inflict them, he has no power or authority but that which is given him by God. So God is the primary cause and has the primary purpose and plan for the trials. We may lose the whole world… but gain our souls. Christ’s blood does not guarantee the absence of trial, but it does guarantee assurance through it, if we rely on His omnipotence.

My sin O the bliss of this glorious tho’t… 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! This verse may seem disconnected from a song about trials. Yes, our sins are paid for by Christ and we won’t have to pay for them in the lake of fire ourselves, but what does that have to do with the day to day trials of life? The answer is everything.  

So many times we read stories like David and Goliath and we insert ourselves as the heroes of the story fighting our “Giants”. We too often take the glory from that battlefield with an, “I can do it” attitude, when the real lesson to be learned is that I CAN’T do it. Without Him, we can do nothing. There is no greater “Giant” in our lives than sin and death, and we are powerless against it, slaves to it. God is the hero who conquered sin and defeated death when we couldn’t. If He can do that, then we can say in the midst of these comparatively tiny problems, “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. One day, the pains and hurts of this life will be gone. All of our tears will be wiped away for we will see Him as He is and we will be like Him. Our minds, wills, and emotions will all be released from the curse of sin that still surrounds our flesh and all will be well with our soul forever and ever.

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    Author

    Bill Itzel has been a worship leader and singer/songwriter for over 30 years and is based in Westminster, MD.  His family tours and leads worship around the country.  Bill and his family attend Belcroft Bible Church in Bowie, MD.  This is a blog about congregational worship and the latest news in the The Itzel's ministry.

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  • Home
  • Tours
  • Promoter Page
  • Store
  • Projects
    • 2003 to Current >
      • Pilgrim's Song >
        • Leaving the City of Destruction
        • The Time Is Short
        • Evangelist
        • It Would Be Me
        • The Wicket Gate
        • Miracle
        • This Is Life
        • Apollyon's Challenge
        • I Will Go (Vanity Fair)
        • Walking with Hopeful
        • Champion of the People (View from the Spyglass)
        • Remember Me (River of Death)
        • Places
        • The Celestial City
      • Sweeter >
        • Christ Is Sweeter
        • With My Last Breath
        • I Have Seen The Lord (Job 42)
        • Oh My Soul
        • Sweet Are All Your Words To Me (Psalm 119)
        • Jesus Is Mine
        • By His Wounds (Isaiah 53)
        • All My Ways Are Known To You
        • O Lord, My Rock And My Redeemer
        • Finish Strong
      • Timeless - Hymns of Bill & Karen Itzel >
        • Give Thanks to the Lord Our God
        • Year's End
        • Sovereign Ruler of the Skies
      • 30 Live >
        • I Am A Christian
        • Mountain Climber
        • How Much More Glory
        • Mercy Rained Down
        • Step By Step
        • At The Cross (Love Ran Red)
        • He Is Risen, Hallelujah
        • Jesus Is Enough
        • There is Hope
        • Burn the Ships
        • Last Man Standing
        • This is Your Life
        • Dead Man Walking
        • Jerusalem
      • Gift of Faith >
        • You Amaze Me
        • I Got Saved
        • Gift of Faith
        • May The Peoples Praise You
        • Why Was I A Guest?
        • Lord, We Remember
        • A Mighty Fortress
        • His Love Runs Deep
        • Lord, Save Me From Me
        • Jesus, Thank You
        • Jerusalem
      • Hope >
        • Brethren We Have Met To Worship
        • Firm in the Faith
        • There is Hope (Siri's Song)
        • Lord, I Adore You
        • The Sovereign God of Love
        • The Solid Rock
        • He Will Hold Me Fast
        • Get To Work
        • Our Great God
        • At Calvary
        • I Will Sing of My Redeemer
        • Give Me Jesus
      • The Glorious Trial >
        • He is Risen Hallelujah
        • The Glorious Trial
        • Because You Love Me
        • Power of the Cross
        • How Firm a Foundation
        • Don't Be Afraid
        • Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
        • A Light In The Dark
        • Band of Brothers
        • Grace Greater than our Sin
      • XXV >
        • All Hail The Power
        • How Long?
        • Truth Is The Way
      • Sovereign >
        • Come Thou Fount
        • Almighty
        • In Christ Alone
        • At The Cross
        • All I Have Is Christ
        • Come As You Are
        • Amazing Grace
        • Behold Our God
        • Whom Shall I Fear
        • Sovereign
        • It Is Well
      • The New Life >
        • Burn The Ships
        • Draw The Line
        • Slow Fade
        • Thank You God For Saving Me
        • Miraculum
        • Jekyll & Hyde
        • Blessed Be Your Name
        • Believe
        • It Is Finished
        • The Gift
      • I Am A Christian >
        • When You Forgive
        • Write My Hurts In The Sand
        • I Am A Christian
        • But for the Grace of God Go I
        • My God Is Bigger
        • Investing in Gold
        • Saving My Best for First
        • Roots
        • Don't Water Down The Gospel
        • Defenders of the Faith
      • Live It Up >
        • Power and Might
        • Psalm 100
        • Plastic People
      • Revolutionary War >
        • Revolutionary War
        • Rebelling Against the Weather
        • Chained to a Lie
        • Always Singing
      • UP >
        • Power and Might
        • Step by Step
        • Love The Lord
        • I'd Rather Have Jesus
        • Psalm 100
        • When I Survey
        • You are There
        • Names
        • Let Everything That Hath Breath
        • Weak
      • Throwback >
        • The Hard Way
        • Mercy Rained Down
        • Free
        • Sweet Sacrifice
      • Mountain Climber >
        • Mountain Climber
        • Fly Free
        • Cries of the Forgotten
        • Champion of the People
        • Hide Me in Your Hand
        • Look to the One
        • Can You Hear Me Now?
        • Great is Thy Faithfulness
      • Misfit Family Christmas >
        • Hark The Herald Angels Sing
        • Mary Did You Know?
        • Emmanuel
        • Island of Misfit Toys
        • Sharing
        • Love Was Born Christmas Night
      • Last Man Standing - 2008 >
        • Last Man Standing
        • Minute Man
        • Think On These Things
        • Do Hard Things
        • Break The Chain
        • Roll Call of Faith
        • Beautiful Day
        • How Much More Glory
        • Great Expectations
        • You are There
      • Flawed - 2007 >
        • War Fatigue
        • My Burden
        • One of Those Days
        • Save Me From Myself
        • Create in Me a Clean Heart
        • An Inconvenient Truth
        • At World's End
        • I've Got No Problem With That
        • Jesus is Enough
        • Weak
        • Pray
      • Soldiers - 2006 >
        • This is Your Life
        • God is Still God
        • Soldier
        • Stand Up
        • Follow Me
        • Barbarians at the Gate
        • Forgotten
      • Guns Blazin' - 2005 >
        • Guns Blazin'
        • When the Rubber Meets the Road
        • Words of Love
      • It Takes a Family - 2004 >
        • A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot
      • Return of the King - 2003 >
        • Return of the King
    • 1990 to 2002 >
      • Dedicated - 2002 >
        • The Last Days
      • Dead Man Walkin' - 2001 >
        • Dead Man Walkin'
      • Seasons - 2001 >
        • Blessed Be The Name
        • Another Year Is Dawning
      • The Test - 2000 >
        • This is Just a Test
      • 2 Natures >
        • 2 Natures
      • Beware of the Dogs >
        • Beware of the Dogs
        • The War
      • Praise Soup >
        • I Will Praise and Worship
        • It Mattered To This One
      • Play by Play >
        • This is my Son
      • Held For Ransom >
        • Politically Incorrect
      • Christmas
      • The Live Experience >
        • I Believe in You
        • Hero
      • Game Over >
        • How Much More Glory
        • The Lion's Coming Back
      • Family Values >
        • Where the Soul Never Dies
      • Live By The Sword >
        • Hard to Believe
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