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May - “It is Well”

Lyrics

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.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

let this blest assurance control:

that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

and has shed his own blood for 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!

O Lord, haste the day when my 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.

(Horatio Spafford, 1873)

May Bible Memory Verses

2 Timothy 4:18

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Hymn Story

Horatio Stafford, born in New York in 1828, was a lawyer and an elder in the Presbyterian church. He had grown up in a Christian family who were friends and supporters of the great evangelist Dwight L Moody.

Horatio was very successful in his work. He married a lady called Anna and they had children. But the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871 destroyed many buildings that he owned and he lost most of his money.

Two years after that he sent his family on ahead of him to their vacation in England where Moody would be preaching. He had work to finish and planned to follow them later. Their ship, the SS Ville de Havre, collided with another ship and although his wife survived his daughters tragically did not. Horatio received a telegram (similar to a text message but typed in a letter) ‘saved alone...’ and he was devastated. He wrote the lyrics to this song as he sailed over the very spot their ship had gone down.

The melody was written by Philip Bliss and he called the tune ‘Ville de Havre’ after the ship. He was born in 1838 in Pennsylvania. He did not have very much formal schooling but was mostly taught by his mother who taught him the Bible and how to pray. At 11 he left home to work. But he continued studying when he could and eventually became a school teacher.

In 1857 he started vocal training as his great gift for music was discovered. He married Lucy Young in 1859 and she and her family greatly encouraged him in his music. He became a music teacher and soon became a composer. It was being around Dwight Moody that inspired him to become a missionary singer and to write gospel songs and hymns. He died in a train crash in 1876.

The Spaffords went on to have three more children - Horatio, Bertha and Grace. Horatio died of scarlet fever when he was three. This loss ended his love for his legal and business work. It also caused him to drift away from the true Christian Faith. He left his church. He and Anna started a group in their home that had a confused understanding of the Lord and didn’t follow all His teachings. It is important to remember that even though people may write things true to God’s Word their lives may not agree with it. Our trust and hope is in God first.

The Spafford family later moved to Jerusalem and set up an American colony there that was involved in humanitarian work. He died of Malaria in 1888 and was buried in Jerusalem.

Something to Think About

There are many hymns that have been written after something very difficult has happened - a war or an illness or the loss of someone loved. Feelings and thoughts become much bigger and deeper and so then does the need and real understanding of the Lord.

Imagine walking along a pathway loosely holding hands with your mum or dad. You know they are there but you are looking around you and not needing to lean on them. Then suddenly you trip over a broken paving stone and you feel your parent’s hand tightening round you as you tighten theirs. Their strength is holding you up so that you don’t fall. Their hand had been there but suddenly you are much more aware of your need of it. Our struggles are like that - they make us much more aware of our need of the Lord and how strong He is to care for us. Those moments help us see Him more clearly. Those moments are what have led many people to encourage others, to paint paintings, to write poems, to compose songs.

Real people telling real stories about how God has helped them helps us. God is not far away from us in our struggles but comes close to us. He sees us in our helplessness as this hymn says. We see this most on the cross when the Lord Jesus took all our sin and pain on himself. Even though we still face troubles we know that He is with us and that one day it will all be taken away. We know that even if it feels like we are in a great storm the part of us that last forever, our soul, is safe and well in Him. Singing songs about this reminds us and helps give us courage.

Prayer

Father in heaven,

We praise You that You are like a solid rock beneath our feet. You hold us up and keep us safe. When we are afraid or sad You know. Like stars in the sky Your light shines through the dark times. You give what we need.

Thank You for Your Word that is filled with Your good promises to us. Thank You for the cross that shows us Your power to save us. Thank You for family and friends and our church - those who walk beside us and bring your love and peace.

Through every day help me to trust in You as Lord and Saviour and greatest Friend. Lord use me to help and comfort others,

In Jesus name,

Amen

Missed a Previous Family Hymn of the Month?

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February 2021
For The Beauty Of The Earth
March 2021
Christ the Lord has Risen Today
April 2021
Amazing Grace

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