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Song Info
Genre
Charts
Peak #104
Peak in subgenre #26
Author
Streeter and Tang
Rights
no Horatio Spafford
Uploaded
August 22, 2011
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.5 MB • 128 kbps • 3:50
Story behind the song
Difficult Trials
If you are going through a difficult trial, I would like to encourage you with a song. Let me share this song writer's circumstances before you listen to the words that he wrote.
His name was Horatio Spafford, a well known Chicago lawyer in the 1860's. Horatio and his wife Anna were devout Christians when their trials began. Their only son died by scarlet fever at the age of four. The following year the great "Chicago Fire" wiped out every one of Horatio's real estate holdings.
These trials led Horatio to decide to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England where he could also help his friend D.L. Moody who had asked for his assistance with his evangelistic campaigns.
They travelled to New York where they were to ride the French steamer "Ville de Havre" across the Atlantic. But just before sailing a business development forced Horatio to return to Chicago. He convinced his family to continue without him and that he would meet them in England as soon as he completed the business transaction. Just nine days later he received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: "Saved alone." The French ship had collided with the "Lochearn" an English vessel. it sank in twelve minutes claiming 226 lives. Anna's last memory was having her baby Tanetta ripped from her arms by the force of the waters. Somehow a plank floated beneath her unconscious body and saved her life. After coming to, her first reaction was one of complete despair. Then she heard a voice speak to her. "You were spared for a purpose". Immediately, she recalled the words of a friend, "it's easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God."
Upon hearing the news, Horatio immediately boarded the next vessel for Wales. The captain knowing his circumstances called him to the deck at the point where the "Ville de Havre" had gone down. Horatio then returned to his cabin where he wrote the lyrics to this great song. He was inspired by the verse in 2 Kings 4:26 where the Shunammite woman had just lost her only son to a sudden death but when asked about her condition maintained that "it was well" even though her soul was greatly distressed.
God sustained Horatio and he can sustain you too. Listen to the words he penned about this trial.
Lyrics
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL
1. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has 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.
2. 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!
CHORUS
3. And 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.
CHORUS 2X
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