Thanks for being a Hymnary.org user. You are one of more than 10 million people from 200-plus countries around the world who have benefitted from the Hymnary website in 2024! If you feel moved to support our work today with a gift of any amount and a word of encouragement, we would be grateful.

You can donate online at our secure giving site.

Or, if you'd like to make a gift by check, please make it out to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
And may the promise of Advent be yours this day and always.

When Peace, Like a River

Representative Text

1 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."

Refrain (may be sung after final stanza only):
It is well with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.

2 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. Refrain

3 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! Refrain

4 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. Refrain

Psalter Hymnal, (Gray)

Author: Horatio Gates Spafford

(no biographical information available about Horatio Gates Spafford.) Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
Title: When Peace, Like a River
Author: Horatio Gates Spafford (1873)
Meter: 11.8.11.9 with refrain
Language: English
Refrain First Line: It is well with my soul
Notes: Spanish translation: See "De paz inundada mi senda ya esté" by Pedro Grado; Swahili translation: See "Nionapo amani kama shwari"
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Phil. 4:7
st. 3 = Col. 2:14
st. 4 = Isa. 34:4, 1 Cor. 15:52

Late in 1873 Horatio G. Spafford (b. North Troy, NY, 1828; d. Jerusalem, 1888) and his family were scheduled to travel from the United States to Europe. Delayed by pressing business, Spafford sent his wife and daughters ahead on the French liner Ville du Havre. The ship collided with the English ship Lochearn on November 22 and sank in just twelve minutes. Spafford's wife was saved, but his daughters perished. After arriving in Wales, Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, "Saved alone." Spafford then left by boat to meet her. Near the tragic scene on the high seas he wrote this text. Upon hearing the news, evangelist Dwight L. Moody, a friend of the Spaffords, traveled to England to comfort them. He reported that Spafford said about the tragic event, "It is well; the will of God be done." Philip P. Bliss, another family friend, wrote the tune for Spafford's text. Both text and tune were published in Gospel Hymns No. 2 (1876), a hymnal compiled by Ira D. Sankey (PHH 73) and Bliss.

The text conveys a sense of trust and ultimate peace with God's plan for our lives. Even in the face of "sorrows" and Satan's temptations, the Christian believes "it is well with my soul" (st. 1-2). That experience of trust and peace derives from knowing with certainty that Christ has paid the penalty for "my sin, not in part, but the whole" (st. 3).The final stanza affirms that it will also be "well with my soul" on the great day of Christ's return. This hymn has brought comfort to many Christians.

In 1856, several years before writing this text, Spafford had moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he established a law practice and became a professor of medical jurisprudence at Lind University (now the Chicago Medical College). Active in the YMCA and as a Sunday school teacher, he served as director and trustee for the Presbyterian Theological Seminary of the Northwest in Chicago. Spafford became acquainted with Dr. Piazza Smith, a Scottish astronomer, and through him became interested in biblical archeology. Heavy losses in the Chicago fire of 1871, the death of his four daughters in 1873, and the death of his son in 1880 caused Spafford to be accused of some secret sin by uncharitable church members. In 1881 he, his wife, and some friends moved to Jerusalem and founded an American colony there; the family's story was told by another daughter, Bertha Spafford Vester, in Our Jerusalem.

Liturgical Use:
As a testimonial hymn, often after tragic events, when we want to confess our faith in God's providence even when we don't understand the "whys" of life.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Tune

VILLE DU HAVRE

The gospel tune by Philip Bliss (PHH 482) was named after the ship on which his friends died; VILLE DU HAVRE (also called IT IS WELL) is best sung in harmony throughout. The refrain may be sung only once–after stanza 4 as a final testimony. Use a moderate organ accompaniment to support confident s…

Go to tune page >


Timeline

Media

You have access to this FlexScore.
Download:
Are parts of this score outside of your desired range? Try transposing this FlexScore.
General Settings
Stanza Selection
Voice Selection
Text size:
Music size:
Transpose (Half Steps):
Capo:
Contacting server...
Contacting server...
Questions? Check out the FAQ

A separate copy of this score must be purchased for each choir member. If this score will be projected or included in a bulletin, usage must be reported to a licensing agent (e.g. CCLI, OneLicense, etc).

This is a preview of your FlexScore.
Baptist Hymnal 1991 #410
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
The Cyber Hymnal #3106
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #489
Small Church Music #6075
  • PDF Score (PDF)
Timeless Truths #676
  • It_Is_Well_with_My_Soul.pdf (PDF)
The United Methodist Hymnal #377
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
Worship and Rejoice #428

Instances

Instances (1 - 76 of 76)
TextPage Scan

50 Favorites #24

A Teaching Hymnal #136

TextPage Scan

African American Heritage Hymnal #377

TextPage Scan

African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #448

Ambassador Hymnal #561

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Baptist Hymnal 1991 #410

Baptist Hymnal 2008 #447

Beloved Beer and Hymns #7

Blessed Refuge #214

Breaking Bread (Vol. 39) #470

TextFlexScoreAudio

Celebrating Grace Hymnal #573

TextPage Scan

Chalice Hymnal #561

Christian Science Hymnal #596

TextPage Scan

Christian Worship (2008) #760

TextPage Scan

Christian Worship #850

Church Gospel Songs and Hymns #110

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #452

Complete Mission Praise #757

TextAudioPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Worship #785

Page Scan

Glory and Praise (3rd. ed.) #643

Text InfoTextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Glory to God #840

Great Songs of the Church (Revised) #646

Hymnal #336

TextPage Scan

Hymns for a Pilgrim People #390

TextPage Scan

Hymns of Faith #223

TextPage Scan

Hymns of Promise #82

Hymns of the Christian Life #300

TextPage Scan

Hymns to the Living God #214

TextPage Scan

Lead Me, Guide Me (2nd ed.) #569

Text

Lift Every Voice and Sing II #188

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Lift Up Your Hearts #451

TextPage Scan

Lutheran Service Book #763

Text

Moravian Book of Worship #754

TextPage Scan

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism #108

Page Scan

Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #345

Praise y Adoración #353a

Page Scan

Praise! Our Songs and Hymns #321

Page Scan

Precious Memories #33

TextPage Scan

Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #316

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs #409

Text InfoTune InfoTextScoreFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #489

Rejoice Hymns #529

Page Scan

Sacred Selections for the Church #561

Sacred Songs of the Church #527

TextFlexScorePage Scan

Santo, Santo, Santo #305

TextPage Scan

Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal #530

Page Scan

Sing 'N' Praise Hymnal Vol. 2 #82

TextPage Scan

Sing Joyfully #453

Audio

Small Church Music #80

Audio

Small Church Music #6075

Songs of Faith and Praise #490

TextPage Scan

Songs of Zion #20

Page Scan

Soul-stirring Songs and Hymns (Rev. ed.) #145

TextPage Scan

The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal #507

The Baptist Hymnal #509

TextPage Scan

The Celebration Hymnal #705

The Christian Life Hymnal #363

Page Scan

The Covenant Hymnal #451

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #3106

The Family Hymnal #16

TextPage Scan

The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration #493

TextPage Scan

The New Century Hymnal #438

TextPage Scan

The New National Baptist Hymnal (21st Century Edition) #255

Text

The Song Book of the Salvation Army #771

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

The United Methodist Hymnal #377

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

The Worshiping Church #519

TextPage Scan

This Far By Faith #194

TextAudio

Timeless Truths #676

TextPage Scan

Total Praise #382

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #691

TextPage Scan

Trinity Psalter Hymnal #476

Text

Voices Together #617

TextScoreAudioPage Scan

Worship and Rejoice #428

Worship His Majesty #524

TextPage Scan

Yes, Lord! #376

찬송과 예배 = Chansong gwa yebae = Come, Let Us Worship #304

Include 407 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.