Hymn Exegesis: It Is Well and Listening to Hillsong

In today’s hymn exegesis, I’m not going to break down the words to this hymn so much as compare the circumstances of its writing to that of much of modern music.

Probably everyone has at some point heard the story of how It Is Well was written. Horatio Spafford sent his wife and daughters on a trip to Europe by boat. On November 22nd, the ship was struck by another and sank, few people being saved alive from the disaster. Horatio Spafford received a telegram from his wife soon after reading, “Saved alone”. Rushing to comfort his grieving wife, Horatio boarded a ship for Europe himself. Being notified when the ship neared the location where his children had died, Spafford looked out over the sea and composed the words to this famous hymn.

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:

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

One can easily imagine Horatio looking out over the sea billows rolling as he composed these words. Like Job going through the worst trial imaginable to parents, he comforts himself in the knowledge that it is well with his soul. By this, Horatio does not mean so much that all is well with him, but that he knows that his soul is right with God.

2.Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

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!

In verses 2 and 3, you can see Horatio exulting in the knowledge of his salvation most clearly. Though the worst trials should come on him, his joy and his hope is that his sin has been nailed to the cross. Praise the Lord, O my soul!

4 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.

5 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!

6 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.

You may not be familiar with verses 4 and 5 as they are often absent from hymnals. In these verses, he echoes Paul’s sentiment that to live is Christ, but to die is gain. He is looking forward to the day when Christ shall return. This will end Horatio’s suffering and make all right with the world.

So far, so good. Even the strictest stickler for theological preciseness will find little to pick at here. This is, in part, why this song is beloved in all kinds of churches around the world. It is a good song and well worth singing.

The Theology of Horatio G Spafford

Horatio Spafford, however, is another matter. He taught that “any man could save himself through the exercise of free will”. He denied that anyone would spend eternity in Hell. He became so obsessed with his pelagian doctrines, that he tried to paint the pastor of his church of mismanaging funds to get him fired. The congregation saw through his scheme, however, and so it failed. But Spafford knew a thing or two about mismanaged funds. He was intending to head to Europe originally to escape his creditors who were becoming convinced he intended not to pay back any of the money he owed. They were right.

Spafford was caught up in all sorts of weird mysticism. He claimed his wife had been caught up in the air in a fight with Satan which she won. She had later been transported bodily to the Mount of Transfiguration. The movement he was a part of had people claiming to receive messages from God through the loud clacking of their teeth. Horatio claimed to be a prophet, to be “The Branch” foretold in Scripture, and much more. Their words were to carry more authority than the Bible. All in all, the very worst of bad teaching and practice.

Comparison with Hillsong

We see this sort of thing today. Some seemingly good music comes from places that teach very bad doctrine. Hillsong produces some good songs, but their teaching is as false as it can be. Bethel is another example of a church that produces little that isn’t false teaching, but they do produce some good songs. What should we do with these? Should Christians sing the songs born of false teaching, even if the songs themselves aren’t false?

I’ll leave that to your church with its pastors and elders to decide. I think music from such sources should be scrutinized very carefully. I think we should at least give careful thought to whether we want to use such music at all, even if we find the lyrics to be sound. I think we ought to even consider whether It is Well is something we want to continue singing. But God gave the local church leaders for handling just this sort of decision. I trust God’s means of ruling his Church.