Be Thou My Vision

Representative Text

1 Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
be all else but naught to me, save that Thou art;
be Thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.

2 Be Thou my Wisdom, be Thou my true Word;
be Thou ever with me and I with Thee, Lord;
be Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son,
be Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

3 Be Thou my Breastplate, my Sword for the fight;
be Thou my whole Armor, be Thou my true Might;
be Thou my soul’s Shelter, be Thou my strong Tow’r,
O raise Thou me heav’nward, great Pow’r of my pow’r.

4 Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
be Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
be Thou and Thou only the first in my heart,
O High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

5 High King of heaven, Thou heaven's bright Sun,
O grant me its joys, after vict'ry is won;
Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be Thou my Vision, O Ruler of all.


Source: Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #352

Translator: Mary E. Byrne

Mary Elizabeth Byrne, M.A. (July 2, 1880 – January 19, 1931) was born in Ireland. She translated the Old Irish Hymn, "Bí Thusa 'mo Shúile," into English as "Be Thou My Vision" in Ériu (the journal of the School of Irish Learning), in 1905. See also in: Wikipedia  Go to person page >

Versifier: Eleanor H. Hull

(no biographical information available about Eleanor H. Hull.) Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Title: Be Thou My Vision
Translator: Mary E. Byrne
Versifier: Eleanor H. Hull
Meter: 10.10.10.10
Source: Ancient Irish; Irish, ca. 700
Place of Origin: Ireland
Language: English
Notes: Spanish translation: See "Oh Dios, de mi alma, sé Tú mi visión" by Federico Pagura
Copyright: Public Domain
Liturgical Use: Prayer Songs
Article: Be Thou My Vision by Sally Ann Morris (from The Hymn)

Tune

SLANE

SLANE is an old Irish folk tune associated with the ballad "With My Love on the Road" in Patrick W. Joyce's Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909). It became a hymn tune when it was arranged by David Evans (PHH 285) and set to the Irish hymn "Be Thou My Vision" published in the Church Hymnary (1927).…

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