It Is Well with My Soul: Lyrics, Meaning, and Tragic Story

Few hymns carry a story as wrenching as the one behind “It Is Well with My Soul.” Written in 1873 by a grieving father who had just lost his four daughters in a shipwreck, the song has become a staple of Christian funerals and memorial services.

Year written: 1873 ·
Author: Horatio Spafford ·
Composer: Philip Bliss ·
Number of verses: 4 ·
Original hymn title: It Is Well with My Soul

Six facts about the hymn’s background reveal one pattern: every element ties back to a single family tragedy and its aftermath.

What is the story behind the song “It is well with my soul”?

The tragedy of Horatio Spafford

Horatio Spafford, a successful Chicago lawyer and devout Presbyterian, suffered a series of devastating losses in the early 1870s. In 1871, his only son died of scarlet fever (Wikipedia biography). Then, in November 1873, he sent his wife Anna and their four daughters ahead on a ship to Europe while he stayed behind to handle business. The vessel, the Ville du Havre, was struck by another ship, the Loch Earn, and sank in the Atlantic. All four daughters perished. Anna survived and cabled her husband with the words “Saved alone” (Backstory…Stories Behind the Songs).

The shipwreck of the Ville du Havre

The Ville du Havre, a French steamer, was carrying 313 passengers and crew when it collided with the British iron clipper Loch Earn in the early hours of November 22, 1873 (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The ship sank in about 12 minutes. Anna Spafford was rescued clinging to a piece of wreckage. The loss of the Spafford children—ages 2 to 11—was widely reported in newspapers at the time.

Spafford’s journey to join his wife

After receiving the news, Horatio Spafford boarded a ship to join his wife in England. According to the most widely repeated account, the captain called him to the bridge and said, “I think we are now passing over the spot where the Ville du Havre went down.” Spafford reportedly went to his cabin and wrote the hymn that night (Backstory…Stories Behind the Songs). The exact date of composition is not recorded, but it is generally assigned to 1873 (Audrey Assad YouTube).

Writing the hymn in response to loss

The text expresses a serene trust in God that stands in stark contrast to the magnitude of Spafford’s loss. The opening line “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way” sets a tone of calm, while the refrain “It is well with my soul” becomes a defiant declaration of faith (Horatio Spafford – It Is Well with My Soul). The hymn was first published with music by Philip Bliss in 1876 (HymnCharts).

Is the song “It Is Well with My Soul” appropriate for a funeral?

Why the hymn is commonly used at funerals

The hymn’s central message—that spiritual peace can coexist with external sorrow—makes it a natural fit for Christian memorial services. It is regularly included in funeral-themed episodes of Songs of Praise on BBC One and is listed in the funeral music section of many hymnals (HymnCharts).

Themes of peace and assurance

Unlike many hymns that focus on the afterlife, “It Is Well with My Soul” speaks to the present moment of grief. The line “Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come” acknowledges suffering but insists on an unshakable inner calm. This combination of realism and assurance is rare in funeral music.

Lyrics that comfort mourners

The refrain repeats “It is well with my soul” seven times, reinforcing the message. The third verse begins with “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,” which shifts the focus from earthly loss to spiritual redemption (Full lyrics at SpaffordHymn.com).

Alternative funeral songs

Other hymns often chosen for funerals include “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “The Old Rugged Cross.” What sets “It Is Well with My Soul” apart is its direct connection to a story of survival and faith. The narrative of the Spafford family adds a layer of human authenticity that resonates with mourners who are also grappling with tragedy.

What does “sea billows roll” mean?

Literal meaning of sea billows

“Sea billows” are large waves, often used in nautical context to describe the swell of the ocean. In the phrase “When sorrows like sea billows roll,” it paints a picture of grief crashing over a person with the force of a storm at sea (Horatio Spafford – It Is Well with My Soul).

Metaphorical use in the hymn

The contrast between “peace like a river” and “sorrows like sea billows” is the hymn’s central metaphor. The river represents steady, gentle calm; the sea billows represent overwhelming, chaotic grief. Spafford uses the two images to show that spiritual peace can persist even when external circumstances are violent (Same source).

Connection to the shipwreck story

The “sea billows” are not just a poetic device—they are a direct reference to the ocean that had just taken his daughters. Spafford wrote the hymn while crossing the Atlantic near the site of the wreck, so the waves he saw out his cabin window were literally the same ones that had destroyed the Ville du Havre (Backstory…Stories Behind the Songs).

What are the lyrics to “It Is Well with My Soul”?

Full lyrics of all four verses

The hymn is in the public domain and widely available. The first verse opens with “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.” Each of the four verses follows the same meter and ends with the refrain (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

The refrain: “It is well with my soul”

The refrain is repeated after each verse: “It is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul.” The repetition creates a meditative, almost hypnotic effect that reinforces the hymn’s central message of peace.

Common variations in modern hymnals

Some hymnals modernize the Elizabethan English (“attendeth” becomes “attends,” “hast” becomes “has”). Others add a fifth verse or repeat the refrain more times. The original 1876 publication by Philip Bliss uses the text as Spafford wrote it, with the tune name “VILLE DU HAVRE” (HymnCharts).

What happened to Horatio Spafford at the end of his life?

Spafford’s later years

After the tragedy, Horatio and Anna Spafford had three more children—two daughters and a son. The family’s faith deepened, and in 1881 they moved to Jerusalem, where they founded a small religious community called the American Colony (Wikipedia). The colony provided charitable services to the local population, including a hospital and orphanage.

His move to Jerusalem

The Spaffords’ decision to relocate to Jerusalem was driven by a conviction that they should live among the biblical sites that had shaped their faith. They settled in the Old City and later established a compound that became known for its philanthropic work (Wikipedia).

Death and legacy

Horatio Spafford died in Jerusalem on October 16, 1888, at age 59, likely from malaria. His wife Anna continued the colony’s work until her death in 1923. Today, Spafford is remembered primarily for the hymn, but the American Colony’s legacy also endures: its archives and photographs are held by the Library of Congress and other institutions (Wikipedia).

Timeline

• 1871 – Horatio Spafford’s son dies of scarlet fever (Wikipedia)
• November 1873 – Spafford’s four daughters die in the Ville du Havre shipwreck; wife Anna survives (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
• Late 1873 – Spafford travels to join his wife; writes “It Is Well with My Soul” near the site of the shipwreck (Backstory…Stories Behind the Songs)
• 1876 – Philip Bliss composes the music for the hymn (HymnCharts)
• 1881 – Spafford moves to Jerusalem with his family (Wikipedia)
• 1888 – Horatio Spafford dies in Jerusalem (Wikipedia)

Clarity: Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

Quotes

“Saved alone. What shall I do?”

— Anna Spafford, telegram to her husband after the shipwreck (Backstory…Stories Behind the Songs)

“It is well; the will of God be done.”

— Horatio Spafford, reportedly upon hearing the news (HymnCharts)

Bliss was so moved by the text that he set it to music immediately.

— Account of Philip Bliss’s reaction (Seele Magazine)

The hymn’s journey from a ship’s cabin to funeral homes around the world is a testament to the power of honest grief. For mourners, the invitation is clear: peace is not the absence of sorrow, but the presence of something deeper.

For those wanting to explore the full story behind the hymn, the full story behind the hymn provides a detailed account of Horatio Spafford’s tragic loss and enduring faith.

Frequently asked questions