Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal

“It Is Well With My Soul” is one of Christianity’s most beloved hymns, expressing deep faith, peace, and surrender to God in the midst of suffering. The hymn reflects a calm and steady trust in God’s providence, even when life brings loss and hardship. Its powerful refrain—“It is well with my soul”—proclaims a hope that transcends circumstances and anchors the believer’s heart in God’s grace and Christ’s redemptive work.

The hymn’s gentle yet resolute melody, composed by Philip P. Bliss, beautifully reinforces the message of inner peace found through faith.

Background and History

The text was written by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873, during a period of tremendous personal tragedy.

Spafford, a Chicago lawyer and devout Christian, lost his four daughters in the sinking of the SS Ville du Havre while they were traveling to Europe.

When crossing the Atlantic to meet his grieving wife, the ship passed the place where his daughters had died. It was during this moment of profound sorrow that Spafford penned the words, “When peace like a river attendeth my way…”

The tune, named “Ville du Havre”, was composed by Philip P. Bliss, a well-known gospel songwriter who was deeply moved by Spafford’s testimony of faith.

Bliss first published the hymn in 1876, and it quickly became a cherished expression of trust in God during grief and trials.