This is hymn 29 of the Open Heavens daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
Hymn 29: WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER ATTENDETH MY WAY
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
WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER ATTENDETH MY WAY HYMN COMMENTARY
Beloved in Christ, this profound hymn, “When Peace Like a River,” is more than a song—it is the testimony of a soul that has found an anchor deeper than any storm. Born from immense personal tragedy, it does not deny the reality of sorrow but declares a peace that triumphs over it. This hymn teaches us that the wellness of our soul is not determined by our circumstances, but by the finished work of Christ and the blessed hope of His return.
Why Sing This Hymn
We sing this hymn to proclaim a supernatural, sovereign peace that transcends understanding (Philippians 4:7). It equips us to face life’s greatest trials and losses with a faith that can say, even through tears, “It is well with my soul.” It is a hymn of defiance against despair and a declaration of ultimate victory.
1. It is a Hymn of Contrast and Learned Contentment (Verse 1)
The opening paints two contrasting scenes: the serene “peace like a river” and the tumultuous “sorrows like sea billows.” Life holds both. The key is not in avoiding the storms, but in what we have been “taught” to say within them. The ability to declare “It is well with my soul” in “whatever my lot” is a learned response of faith. It signifies that the core of our being—our soul anchored in God—remains in a state of grace and security, regardless of the chaos that may surround it.
2. It is a Hymn of Blessed Assurance in Spiritual Attack (Verse 2)
When external trials come and the enemy buffets, our control is not mustered willpower, but a “blest assurance.” That assurance rests on two historical facts: that “Christ has regarded my helpless estate” (He saw my lost condition) and that He acted by shedding “his own blood for my soul.” The storm of Satan’s accusations is calmed by the blood of the cross. Our soul’s wellness is purchased, not earned.
3. It is a Hymn of Finished Transaction and Emancipated Joy (Verse 3)
This verse contains one of the most liberating declarations in all of hymnody. The “bliss” is found in a completed transaction: “my sin… not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.” The debt is canceled, the record is destroyed (Colossians 2:14). The soul’s wellness rests on this objective truth: sin’s power to condemn has been broken. Therefore, the command is logical and joyful: “praise the Lord, O my soul!” Praise is the natural outflow of a pardoned heart.
4. It is a Hymn of Blessed Hope and Eschatological Confidence (Verse 4)
The hymn lifts our gaze from our present trials, however deep, to the certain future. It longs for the day when “faith shall be sight,” when Christ returns and every wrong is made right. The promise of His second coming—the “trump” and the Lord’s descent—is the final guarantee that makes our present “wellness” unshakeable. Even in longing, even in suffering, the promise of that day allows us to say, “even so, it is well with my soul.” Our hope is not a wish, but a certainty.
The Refrain: The Soul’s Settled State
The repeated refrain, “It is well with my soul,” is not a denial of pain, but a confession of a deeper reality. It is the soul’s testimony of its standing in Christ—forgiven, sealed, and kept. To sing it is to preach to one’s own heart, affirming the peace of God that holds us fast.
A Word for Your Spirit Today
Are you in a season of peaceful rivers or rolling billows? Has a trial, a loss, or a temptation made your soul feel anything but “well”?
This hymn invites you to look away from the storm and look to the cross. See your sin nailed there. See the blood shed for you. Let that blessed assurance be your control. Then, lift your eyes to the coming King. Let that sure hope steady your heart.
Your feelings may waver, but the wellness of your soul, secured by Christ’s blood and guaranteed by His return, does not. By faith, declare it today, even if it’s a whisper: “It is well. It is well with my soul.” In that declaration, you will find the peace that truly does pass all understanding.
In the name of Jesus, our Peace and our Blessed Hope, Amen.
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