“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities.” (Psalm 103:2-3)

When Christ was nailed to the cross as our atoning sacrifice, our sins—all of them—were nailed there, as well. His death paid the entire penalty, “having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2:13-14). This is the theme of the thrilling third verse of “It Is Well with My Soul.”

My sin—O 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!

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). On what basis? “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (v. 7). “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24).

The fact that our sins are gone, “as far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12), and we bear them no more, gives us the courage, strength, and stamina to bear up, with His help, under the trials of this age—the theme of the song’s first two verses.

If ever the circumstances of this present life threaten to overwhelm us, we can “consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). The certainty of our future overrides any uncertainty in this life.

“It is well, it is well with my soul.” JDM

Click here for the sheet music for this hymn.