I have a few favorite hymns that I retreat to in times of deeper trials. I had never thought through the words of the third hymn below before, but now I have three songs to rely on.
The Touching Story Behind “It Is Well with My Soul.” I have read this story many times, but it still brings me peace. It is one thing to be able to read the words, it is another thing to write them during what he went through!
"It is Well With My Soul"
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 hath 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!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when the 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.
My favoritie line: “Why should this anxious
load, press down your weary mind?”
1. How gentle God’s commands!
How
kind his precepts are!
Come,
cast your burdens on the Lord
And
trust his constant care.
2. Beneath his
watchful eye,
His
Saints securely dwell;
That
hand which bears all nature up
Shall
guard his children well.
3. Why should this
anxious load
Press
down your weary mind?
Haste
to your Heav’nly Father’s throne
And
sweet refreshment find.
4. His goodness
stands approved,
Unchanged
from day to day;
I’ll
drop my burden at his feet
And
bear a song away.
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!
Join the great throng,
Psaltery, organ and song,
Sounding in glad adoration!
2. Praise to the Lord! Over all things he gloriously
reigneth.
Borne as on eagle wings, safely his Saints he sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen
How all thou needest hath been
Granted in what he ordaineth?
3. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy way and defend
thee.
Surely his goodness and mercy shall ever attend thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
Who with his love doth befriend thee.
4. Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath breath, join with Abraham’s seed to adore him!
Let the “amen”
Sum all our praises again,
Now as we worship before him.
Text: Joachim Neander, 1650–1680; trans. by Catherine
Winkworth, 1829–1878
Music: From Stralsund Gesangbuch, 1665; arr. by William S.
Bennett, 1816–1875, and Otto Goldschmidt, 1829–1907
Psalm 150
Psalm 23:6
