Be Thou My Vision

1

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art

Thou my best thought, by day or by night

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

2

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord

Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son

Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

3

Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise

Thou mine inheritance, now and always

Thou and Thou only first in my heart

High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art

4

High King of heaven, my victory won

May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall

Still be my vision, O ruler of all

Saint Dallan Forgaill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NZ7oEWu-18

BE THOU MY VISION

Written in 6^th to 8^th century in Ireland, translated to English by Eleanor Hull.

The text of Be Thou My Vision reflects aspects of life in Early Christian Ireland. The prayer belongs to a type known as a lorica, a prayer for protection. The symbolic use of a battle-shield and a sword to invoke the power and protection of God draws on Saint Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:16–17), which refers to "the shield of faith" and "the sword of the Spirit". Such military symbolism was common in the poetry and hymnnology of Christian monasteries of the period due to the prevalence of clan warfare across Ireland. The poem makes reference to God as "King of the Seven Heavens" and the "High King of Heaven". This depiction of the Lord God of heaven and earth as a chieftain or High King is a traditional representation in Irish literature; medieval Irish poetry typically used heroic imagery to cast God as a clan protector.

 

Original English version by Eleanor Hull (1912):

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

 

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

 

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;

Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;

Thou my soul's Shelter, Thou my high Tow’r:

Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

 

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

 

High King of Heaven, my victory won,

May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heav’n's Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.